Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,619 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $5,781 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $7,944 in Lausanne.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 72% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Lausanne is 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$32.44 CHF 26.28

-81.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$148 CHF 120

-77.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$19.05 CHF 15.43

-61.47%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$5.90 CHF 4.78

-70.85%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$5.41 CHF 4.38

-80.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$4.92 CHF 3.98

-84.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$10.12 CHF 8.19

-83.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$8.85 CHF 7.17

-64.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.24 CHF 1.82

-53.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$4.09 CHF 3.31

-68.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$4.37 CHF 3.54

-67.96%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$7.37 CHF 5.97

-70.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$26.35 CHF 21.35

-83.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$28.58 CHF 23.15

-79.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$53.2 CHF 43.07

-83.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.80 CHF 3.08

-40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.15 CHF 1.74

-48.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.89 CHF 2.34

-47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$6.62 CHF 5.36

-79.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.43 CHF 1.97

-53.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-53.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.53 CHF 2.05

-66.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.40 CHF 1.14

-35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$11.03 CHF 8.94

-78.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$15.39 CHF 12.47

-19.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.10 CHF 1.70

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.27 CHF 2.65

-23.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$4.83 CHF 3.91

-82.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$96.1 CHF 77.8

-57.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$7.67 CHF 6.21

-81.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.42 CHF 2.77

-43.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$66.1 CHF 53.6

-88.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.18 CHF 1.76

-54.59%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$39.6K CHF 32.1K

-54.48%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-34.49%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$331 CHF 268

-75.55%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$50.0 CHF 40.52

-80.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$57.7 CHF 46.77

-58.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$78.4 CHF 63.5

-68.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$48.46 CHF 39.25

-60.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$26.35 CHF 21.35

-84.90%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$2,843 CHF 2,303

-89.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

-82.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$110 CHF 89.1

-47.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$69.2 CHF 56.0

-53.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$153 CHF 124

-34.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$184 CHF 149

-41.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,834 CHF 1,486

-74.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,476 CHF 1,195

-74.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$3,654 CHF 2,960

-76.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,979 CHF 2,413

-75.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

-82.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

-90.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$6,512 CHF 5,275

-90.53%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 956% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $148 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $655 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Lausanne differ by about 251% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $3,619 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 956% lower in Lausanne. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $148 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $3,619 in Lausanne – a 251% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,619 in Lausanne, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lausanne. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Lausanne are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 251% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.