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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $3,484 in Liestal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $5,412 in Liestal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $7,339 in Liestal, rent included.

Medellin is about 70% cheaper than Liestal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Liestal is 161% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$28.21 CHF 22.37

-78.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$107 CHF 85.1

-69.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$19.69 CHF 15.62

-62.32%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$5.73 CHF 4.54

-71.20%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$4.74 CHF 3.76

-77.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$4.84 CHF 3.84

-84.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$8.50 CHF 6.74

-79.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$6.06 CHF 4.80

-47.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.17 CHF 1.72

-51.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$3.31 CHF 2.62

-60.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$5.12 CHF 4.06

-73.83%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$7.79 CHF 6.18

-71.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$27.79 CHF 22.04

-84.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$35.99 CHF 28.54

-84.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$40.56 CHF 32.17

-78.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.82 CHF 3.03

-38.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.71 CHF 2.15

-59.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.97 CHF 2.36

-48.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$6.88 CHF 5.45

-80.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$3.25 CHF 2.58

-64.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.94 CHF 2.33

-59.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.62 CHF 2.08

-67.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.19 CHF 0.95

-27.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$11.40 CHF 9.04

-80.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$13.93 CHF 11.05

-16.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.95 CHF 1.55

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.26 CHF 1.79

9.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$3.65 CHF 2.89

-78.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$68.6 CHF 54.4

-40.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$7.90 CHF 6.27

-81.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$4.27 CHF 3.38

-55.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$93.4 CHF 74.0

-91.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$2.17 CHF 1.72

-53.46%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

-56.71%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$49.0K CHF 38.9K

-46.01%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$379 CHF 301

-78.62%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$54.4 CHF 43.11

-82.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$59.7 CHF 47.36

-60.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$86.2 CHF 68.4

-69.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$60.5 CHF 47.99

-69.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$24.86 CHF 19.72

-83.55%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$2,565 CHF 2,035

-87.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$34.9K CHF 27.7K

-82.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$131 CHF 104

-54.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$67.8 CHF 53.8

-52.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$179 CHF 142

-43.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$232 CHF 184

-54.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,487 CHF 1,179

-67.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,301 CHF 1,032

-71.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,422 CHF 1,921

-65.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$2,630 CHF 2,086

-72.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$8,500 CHF 6,741

-84.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$9,543 CHF 7,568

-94.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.52

432.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Liestal: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $1,487 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 1633% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $107 in Liestal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $656 – 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 239%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $5,226 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 68% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $2,565 in Liestal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Liestal at $3,484. 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.