Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Giubiasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Giubiasco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,342 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $5,285 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $7,227 in Giubiasco, rent included.

Medellin is about 50% cheaper than Giubiasco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Giubiasco sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Giubiasco by 144%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$35.26 CHF 28.98

-77.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$174 CHF 143

-72.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$20.34 CHF 16.71

-51.38%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$4.64 CHF 3.81

-32.54%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 COP 6,058

$5.13 CHF 4.22

-62.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$3.90 CHF 3.20

-61.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$9.89 CHF 8.13

-68.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$7.51 CHF 6.17

-23.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.26 CHF 1.86

-36.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$3.61 CHF 2.96

-31.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$4.25 CHF 3.50

-58.35%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$7.25 CHF 5.96

-59.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$25.93 CHF 21.31

-61.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$30.07 CHF 24.71

-66.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$39.91 CHF 32.80

-64.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$3.35 CHF 2.75

23.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.85 CHF 1.52

-12.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.88 CHF 2.37

-21.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$6.30 CHF 5.18

-64.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.89 CHF 1.55

7.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$2.13 CHF 1.75

-27.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$2.33 CHF 1.92

-49.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.37 CHF 1.12

-4.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$11.21 CHF 9.21

-65.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$12.47 CHF 10.25

12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.98 CHF 2.45

-41.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$4.03 CHF 3.31

-28.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$4.29 CHF 3.52

-71.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$90.3 CHF 74.2

-10.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$7.63 CHF 6.27

-82.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$5.66 CHF 4.65

-61.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$37.18 CHF 30.56

-76.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$2.29 CHF 1.88

-40.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$34.7K CHF 28.5K

-19.77%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$39.9K CHF 32.8K

-10.26%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$177 COP 562.9K

$231 CHF 190

-23.20%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$22.28 CHF 18.31

-37.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$49.62 CHF 40.78

-40.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$99.6 CHF 81.8

-54.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$42.96 CHF 35.31

-60.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$20.29 CHF 16.67

-67.23%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$813 COP 2.6M

$1,240 CHF 1,019

-34.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$34.9K CHF 28.7K

-73.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$167 CHF 137

-46.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$56.3 CHF 46.27

4.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$192 CHF 157

-27.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$151 CHF 124

-32.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$1,602 CHF 1,317

-33.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,661 CHF 1,365

-60.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,866 CHF 2,356

-34.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$2,332 CHF 1,916

-55.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$17.6K CHF 14.5K

-76.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$11.8K CHF 9,678

-85.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.9

475.79%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Giubiasco: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,602 in Giubiasco. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $174 in Giubiasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $607 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Giubiasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Giubiasco is pricier by about 99%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $5,014 in Giubiasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $1,240 in Giubiasco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 99% more in Giubiasco, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Giubiasco at $3,342. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Giubiasco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Giubiasco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.