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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $3,304 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $5,279 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $7,254 in Giubiasco, rent included.

Medellin is about 69% cheaper than Giubiasco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Giubiasco is 147% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$31.22 CHF 24.66

-81.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$169 CHF 133

-80.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$18.78 CHF 14.84

-61.66%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$4.34 CHF 3.43

-60.83%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$4.96 CHF 3.92

-77.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$4.09 CHF 3.23

-82.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$7.49 CHF 5.92

-77.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$7.59 CHF 6.00

-59.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$2.26 CHF 1.78

-53.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$3.49 CHF 2.76

-64.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$4.78 CHF 3.78

-70.92%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$6.98 CHF 5.51

-67.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$26.71 CHF 21.10

-83.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$36.08 CHF 28.51

-83.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$44.09 CHF 34.83

-79.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$3.18 CHF 2.51

-29.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.93 CHF 1.53

-44.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$2.78 CHF 2.19

-44.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$7.19 CHF 5.68

-80.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$2.21 CHF 1.74

-48.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$2.29 CHF 1.81

-51.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$2.61 CHF 2.06

-67.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$1.69 CHF 1.33

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$10.28 CHF 8.12

-77.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$12.97 CHF 10.24

-14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$3.74 CHF 2.96

-68.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$4.19 CHF 3.31

-43.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$3.83 CHF 3.02

-79.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$100.0 CHF 79.0

-58.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$6.79 CHF 5.36

-78.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$4.33 CHF 3.42

-55.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$61.8 CHF 48.83

-87.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$2.23 CHF 1.76

-57.85%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$40.9K CHF 32.3K

-56.14%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$37.7K CHF 29.7K

-28.84%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$203 CHF 160

-58.66%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$69.4 CHF 54.8

-86.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$54.5 CHF 43.07

-55.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$88.4 CHF 69.8

-70.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$18.49 CHF 14.61

-78.80%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$1,247 CHF 985

-75.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$34.4K CHF 27.2K

-82.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$107 CHF 84.5

-45.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$48.41 CHF 38.24

-34.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$132 CHF 104

-24.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$150 CHF 119

-28.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,679 CHF 1,326

-71.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,440 CHF 1,138

-74.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,881 CHF 2,276

-71.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$2,468 CHF 1,950

-70.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$15.8K CHF 12.5K

-81.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$10.7K CHF 8,427

-86.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Giubiasco: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $1,679 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 $667 – 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 220%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $4,955 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 $306 per month in Medellin and $1,247 in Giubiasco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 251% 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 $1,034, than in Giubiasco at $3,304. 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.