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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,565 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $5,676 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $7,788 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 24% below, Lausanne is 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$32.84 CHF 25.92

-81.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$145 CHF 115

-77.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$18.73 CHF 14.78

-62.15%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$6.07 CHF 4.79

-71.83%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$5.59 CHF 4.41

-80.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$4.70 CHF 3.71

-83.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$9.64 CHF 7.60

-82.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$8.41 CHF 6.64

-63.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-50.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$4.17 CHF 3.29

-69.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$4.48 CHF 3.54

-69.20%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$7.01 CHF 5.53

-68.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$26.22 CHF 20.69

-83.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$28.78 CHF 22.71

-80.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$52.0 CHF 41.01

-82.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$3.60 CHF 2.84

-35.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-51.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$2.95 CHF 2.33

-49.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$6.43 CHF 5.08

-78.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$2.51 CHF 1.98

-54.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$2.35 CHF 1.86

-50.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$2.49 CHF 1.96

-64.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$1.39 CHF 1.10

-39.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$10.93 CHF 8.63

-79.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$16.11 CHF 12.72

-33.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$2.01 CHF 1.59

-40.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$3.20 CHF 2.53

-22.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$4.74 CHF 3.74

-81.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$97.6 CHF 77.0

-57.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$7.98 CHF 6.30

-81.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$3.26 CHF 2.57

-39.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$67.6 CHF 53.3

-88.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-55.81%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

-55.86%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

-36.49%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$322 CHF 254

-74.46%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$50.3 CHF 39.70

-81.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$57.6 CHF 45.46

-57.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$76.0 CHF 60.0

-65.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$47.71 CHF 37.65

-60.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$26.56 CHF 20.96

-85.20%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$2,763 CHF 2,180

-88.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

-82.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$110 CHF 87.0

-46.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$70.2 CHF 55.4

-53.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$149 CHF 117

-31.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$185 CHF 146

-41.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,834 CHF 1,448

-74.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,486 CHF 1,173

-74.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$3,523 CHF 2,780

-76.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,944 CHF 2,323

-75.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

-85.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

-91.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$7,571 CHF 5,975

-93.24%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 1379% 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 $145 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $651 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 252% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $3,565 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lausanne earns 1379% less. 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: $476 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 $145 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $3,565 in Lausanne – a 252% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,565 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 252% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.