Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Glarus Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Glarus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,351 in Glarus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $5,130 in Glarus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,909 in Glarus, rent included.

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

Both Medellin and Glarus sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Glarus by 145%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$28.95 CHF 23.90

-72.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$124 CHF 102

-61.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$18.03 CHF 14.88

-45.15%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$6.28 CHF 5.19

-50.16%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$3.80 CHF 3.14

-49.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$3.94 CHF 3.26

-61.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$8.91 CHF 7.36

-64.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$6.62 CHF 5.46

-13.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.25 CHF 1.86

-36.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.15 CHF 2.60

-20.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.86 CHF 2.36

-38.11%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$7.93 CHF 6.54

-62.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.36 CHF 6.90

20.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$14.64 CHF 12.09

-30.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$38.82 CHF 32.04

-63.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.15 CHF 2.60

31.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.61 CHF 1.33

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.37 CHF 1.95

-5.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$5.39 CHF 4.45

-58.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.75 CHF 1.45

16.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.18 CHF 1.80

-29.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.29 CHF 1.89

-48.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.19 CHF 0.99

10.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$11.12 CHF 9.17

-64.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$11.41 CHF 9.42

22.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.15 CHF 1.78

-19.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.27 CHF 1.87

26.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$6.01 CHF 4.96

-79.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$225 CHF 186

-64.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$6.72 CHF 5.54

-80.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$4.75 CHF 3.92

-53.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$79.6 CHF 65.7

-89.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.11 CHF 1.75

-35.07%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$35.0K CHF 28.9K

-20.39%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$40.3K CHF 33.3K

-11.27%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$314 CHF 259

-43.59%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$39.29 CHF 32.43

-64.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$55.2 CHF 45.59

-46.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$163 CHF 134

-72.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$43.42 CHF 35.84

-60.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$25.82 CHF 21.31

-74.24%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$2,350 CHF 1,940

-65.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$31.9K CHF 26.4K

-71.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$102 CHF 84.2

-12.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$42.50 CHF 35.08

38.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$135 CHF 111

2.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$96.3 CHF 79.5

6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,680 CHF 1,387

-36.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,398 CHF 1,154

-52.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,969 CHF 2,451

-36.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,347 CHF 1,937

-56.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.1

420.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Glarus: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,680 in Glarus. 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 $124 in Glarus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $445 – 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 Glarus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Glarus 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 $5,026 in Glarus. 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.

Public transport costs about 180% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $2,350 in Glarus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Glarus at $3,351. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glarus 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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