Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Giubiasco

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $3,513 in Giubiasco, rent and utilities included – about $21,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Giubiasco, Switzerland
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Giubiasco
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,513
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Giubiasco

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Giubiasco actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $3,513 in Giubiasco, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Giubiasco $3,513

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $5,442 in Giubiasco, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Giubiasco $5,442

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $7,370 in Giubiasco, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Giubiasco $7,370

Medellin is about 52% cheaper than Giubiasco, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Giubiasco sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Giubiasco by 160%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Giubiasco
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 27.0K
$34.96 CHF 28.56
-76.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.9K
$181 CHF 148
-74.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.7K
$19.31 CHF 15.77
-50.96%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.2K
$4.84 CHF 3.95
-35.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,727
$5.54 CHF 4.52
-68.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,619
$4.27 CHF 3.49
-66.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$9.56 CHF 7.81
-67.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.5K
$7.14 CHF 5.84
-20.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Giubiasco
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,969
$2.27 CHF 1.85
-32.60%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,429
$3.72 CHF 3.04
-38.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,306
$4.05 CHF 3.30
-52.10%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,942
$7.17 CHF 5.86
-57.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.4K
$26.32 CHF 21.50
-62.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.9K
$28.70 CHF 23.45
-63.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.3K
$39.46 CHF 32.24
-64.62%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$3.36 CHF 2.74
20.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,956
$1.85 CHF 1.51
-17.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,823
$2.75 CHF 2.25
-23.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,437
$6.48 CHF 5.29
-64.66%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,839
$1.86 CHF 1.52
13.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,542
$2.11 CHF 1.73
-18.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,794
$2.38 CHF 1.94
-50.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,123
$1.33 CHF 1.08
18.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.7K
$11.05 CHF 9.03
-64.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.5K
$14.78 CHF 12.08
-5.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,712
$3.26 CHF 2.67
-46.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,793
$3.97 CHF 3.24
-31.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Giubiasco
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,825
$4.34 CHF 3.54
-72.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 247.4K
$99.6 CHF 81.4
-23.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,859
$7.43 CHF 6.07
-75.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,904
$5.42 CHF 4.42
-60.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.4K
$35.67 CHF 29.14
-77.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,135
$2.34 CHF 1.91
-45.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.7M
$39.0K CHF 31.9K
-11.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.7M
$39.4K CHF 32.2K
-13.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Giubiasco
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 576.3K
$305 CHF 250
-41.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 45.0K
$24.85 CHF 20.30
-44.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.7K
$48.44 CHF 39.58
-36.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Giubiasco
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 136.0K
$86.1 CHF 70.3
-51.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.5K
$45.33 CHF 37.04
-62.94%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.2K
$20.72 CHF 16.92
-63.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Giubiasco
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$3,192 CHF 2,608
-75.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.9M
$35.5K CHF 29.0K
-65.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Giubiasco
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 279.9K
$110 CHF 89.7
-21.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 192.2K
$47.62 CHF 38.90
24.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 448.6K
$152 CHF 124
-9.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 320.4K
$170 CHF 139
-42.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Giubiasco
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$1,811 CHF 1,480
-25.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$1,536 CHF 1,255
-56.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$2,884 CHF 2,356
-31.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$2,535 CHF 2,071
-59.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.3M
$15.0K CHF 12.2K
-72.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$11.2K CHF 9,179
-82.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Giubiasco
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Giubiasco: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Giubiasco
$1.5K 130% $869
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Giubiasco
$606 97.1% $299
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Giubiasco
$379 70.4% $156
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Giubiasco
$497 188% $324
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Giubiasco
$216 25.4% $44
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Giubiasco
$151 62.1% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Giubiasco
$128 124% $71

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,811 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 $47 in Medellin versus $181 in Giubiasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $606 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇨🇭 Giubiasco
🕒 Local time
10:35 10:35 AM
16:35 4:35 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
8,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,242 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,635 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.817 CHF (1 CHF = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.916 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Giubiasco 9,090 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Giubiasco

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Medellin cheaper than Giubiasco?
Yes – Giubiasco is pricier by about 108%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $5,269 in Giubiasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,341 there versus $1,811 in Giubiasco.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $790 per month in Medellin and $3,192 in Giubiasco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Giubiasco?
Groceries cost about 97% more in Giubiasco, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Giubiasco?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,692, than in Giubiasco at $3,513. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Giubiasco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Giubiasco more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Medellin is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 52% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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