Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kriens Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kriens

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $3,574 in Kriens, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $5,405 in Kriens, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $7,237 in Kriens, rent included.

Medellin is about 71% cheaper than Kriens, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Kriens is 168% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$30.60 CHF 24.26

-80.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$157 CHF 124

-79.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$18.76 CHF 14.88

-60.45%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$6.99 CHF 5.54

-76.39%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$5.57 CHF 4.42

-80.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$5.07 CHF 4.02

-85.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$9.80 CHF 7.78

-82.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$7.22 CHF 5.72

-55.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.16 CHF 1.71

-51.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$3.85 CHF 3.05

-65.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$5.11 CHF 4.05

-73.78%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$7.66 CHF 6.08

-71.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$28.40 CHF 22.52

-84.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$36.19 CHF 28.70

-84.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$44.37 CHF 35.19

-80.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.64 CHF 2.89

-35.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.13 CHF 1.69

-47.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.81 CHF 2.23

-45.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$6.89 CHF 5.47

-80.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-48.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.49 CHF 1.98

-52.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.56 CHF 2.03

-67.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.55 CHF 1.23

-44.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$10.44 CHF 8.28

-78.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$10.59 CHF 8.40

9.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.45 CHF 1.95

-51.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$3.04 CHF 2.41

-18.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$3.95 CHF 3.14

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$99.9 CHF 79.2

-59.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$8.06 CHF 6.39

-81.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$4.17 CHF 3.30

-53.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$87.3 CHF 69.2

-91.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$2.11 CHF 1.67

-52.13%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

-56.81%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$41.8K CHF 33.1K

-36.70%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$292 CHF 231

-72.20%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$53.4 CHF 42.37

-82.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$59.5 CHF 47.19

-59.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$86.6 CHF 68.6

-69.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$23.20 CHF 18.40

-82.37%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$2,592 CHF 2,056

-87.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$34.1K CHF 27.1K

-82.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$107 CHF 84.7

-44.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$54.1 CHF 42.88

-40.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$156 CHF 124

-35.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$191 CHF 152

-45.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,709 CHF 1,355

-71.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,444 CHF 1,145

-74.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,817 CHF 2,234

-70.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$2,454 CHF 1,947

-70.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$16.2K CHF 12.8K

-81.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$13.5K CHF 10.7K

-90.26%

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 Kriens: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $1,709 in Kriens. 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 $156 in Kriens. 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 Kriens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kriens costs about 248% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $5,361 in Kriens. 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 $2,592 in Kriens. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 251% more in Kriens, 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 Kriens at $3,574. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kriens it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,028 versus $3,574 in Kriens. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Kriens makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.