Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Liestal Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Liestal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $3,290 in Liestal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $5,212 in Liestal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $7,134 in Liestal, rent included.

Medellin is about 49% cheaper than Liestal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Liestal sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Liestal by 140%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$29.59 CHF 23.66

-73.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$123 CHF 98.2

-63.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$18.17 CHF 14.53

-48.87%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$6.34 CHF 5.07

-54.26%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$6.45 CHF 5.15

-71.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$5.99 CHF 4.79

-74.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$8.90 CHF 7.12

-63.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$9.54 CHF 7.63

-38.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.27 CHF 1.82

-39.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$3.24 CHF 2.59

-24.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$3.35 CHF 2.68

-54.93%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$7.71 CHF 6.16

-63.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$25.08 CHF 20.06

-63.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$27.46 CHF 21.96

-61.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$39.21 CHF 31.35

-62.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.91 CHF 3.12

1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.41 CHF 1.93

-42.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.99 CHF 2.39

-23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$4.74 CHF 3.79

-57.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.83 CHF 1.46

14.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$2.05 CHF 1.64

-20.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$2.33 CHF 1.86

-53.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.30 CHF 1.04

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$11.36 CHF 9.08

-64.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$13.38 CHF 10.70

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.28 CHF 1.83

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.92 CHF 2.34

2.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$4.54 CHF 3.63

-74.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$105 CHF 83.9

-23.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$8.43 CHF 6.74

-80.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$4.55 CHF 3.64

-53.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$110 CHF 87.8

-92.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$2.31 CHF 1.85

-41.56%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$43.1K CHF 34.5K

-34.29%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$40.5K CHF 32.4K

-11.94%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$300 CHF 240

-49.54%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$28.39 CHF 22.70

-53.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$66.0 CHF 52.8

-51.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$87.0 CHF 69.5

-46.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$46.39 CHF 37.09

-62.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$25.15 CHF 20.11

-74.43%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$3,019 CHF 2,414

-72.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$31.2K CHF 24.9K

-71.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$145 CHF 116

-38.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$62.8 CHF 50.2

-11.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$158 CHF 126

-13.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$204 CHF 163

-46.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$1,793 CHF 1,433

-46.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$1,304 CHF 1,042

-48.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$2,902 CHF 2,321

-30.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$2,697 CHF 2,156

-57.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$16.1K CHF 12.9K

-77.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$12.3K CHF 9,857

-87.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$9,598 CHF 7,675

-93.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

2.43

329.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Liestal: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $1,793 in Liestal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1435% higher in Liestal, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $123 in Liestal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $578 – 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 Liestal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Liestal is pricier by about 95%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $4,935 in Liestal. 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 31% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $835 per month in Medellin and $3,019 in Liestal. 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 $1,687, than in Liestal at $3,290. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Liestal 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, Liestal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.