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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $3,400 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $5,296 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $7,192 in Giubiasco, rent included.

Medellin is about 70% cheaper than Giubiasco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Giubiasco is 155% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$30.34 CHF 24.06

-80.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$169 CHF 134

-80.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$18.70 CHF 14.83

-60.32%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$4.27 CHF 3.39

-61.36%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$4.86 CHF 3.86

-77.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$4.17 CHF 3.31

-81.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$7.29 CHF 5.78

-76.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$7.24 CHF 5.74

-55.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.17 CHF 1.72

-51.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$3.45 CHF 2.74

-62.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$4.87 CHF 3.86

-72.48%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$6.88 CHF 5.46

-68.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$26.60 CHF 21.09

-83.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$36.48 CHF 28.93

-84.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$44.77 CHF 35.51

-80.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.22 CHF 2.56

-27.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.95 CHF 1.54

-43.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.79 CHF 2.21

-45.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$7.48 CHF 5.93

-81.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.27 CHF 1.80

-49.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.31 CHF 1.83

-48.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.62 CHF 2.07

-67.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.61 CHF 1.28

-46.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$10.66 CHF 8.45

-78.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$12.83 CHF 10.18

-9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$3.63 CHF 2.88

-66.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$4.12 CHF 3.27

-39.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$4.00 CHF 3.17

-80.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$97.2 CHF 77.1

-57.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$6.84 CHF 5.43

-78.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$4.33 CHF 3.43

-55.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$62.1 CHF 49.21

-87.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$2.15 CHF 1.71

-53.02%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$40.4K CHF 32.0K

-56.24%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$37.7K CHF 29.9K

-29.86%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$203 CHF 161

-60.13%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$69.1 CHF 54.8

-86.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$55.4 CHF 43.96

-56.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$86.9 CHF 68.9

-70.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$18.46 CHF 14.64

-77.84%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$1,231 CHF 977

-74.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$34.2K CHF 27.2K

-82.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$111 CHF 87.7

-46.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$48.68 CHF 38.61

-34.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$131 CHF 104

-22.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$150 CHF 119

-30.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,701 CHF 1,349

-71.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,475 CHF 1,170

-75.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,790 CHF 2,213

-70.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$2,504 CHF 1,986

-70.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$17.7K CHF 14.1K

-83.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$11.2K CHF 8,891

-88.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.5

437.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Giubiasco: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $1,701 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $169 in Giubiasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $669 – 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 231%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $5,100 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 $315 per month in Medellin and $1,231 in Giubiasco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 253% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Giubiasco at $3,400. 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.