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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $3,442 in Liestal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $5,420 in Liestal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $7,398 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 157% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$27.63 CHF 21.86

-78.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$106 CHF 83.6

-69.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$19.54 CHF 15.46

-63.15%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$5.66 CHF 4.48

-69.96%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$4.99 CHF 3.95

-77.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$4.66 CHF 3.68

-84.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$8.28 CHF 6.55

-79.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$6.30 CHF 4.98

-50.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.21 CHF 1.75

-52.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.35 CHF 2.65

-62.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$4.99 CHF 3.95

-72.14%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$7.88 CHF 6.23

-71.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$28.01 CHF 22.16

-84.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$34.87 CHF 27.58

-83.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$41.46 CHF 32.80

-78.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.85 CHF 3.05

-41.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.61 CHF 2.06

-58.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.93 CHF 2.31

-47.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$6.80 CHF 5.38

-79.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$3.28 CHF 2.60

-65.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.87 CHF 2.27

-60.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.66 CHF 2.10

-68.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.26 CHF 1.00

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$11.51 CHF 9.11

-79.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$15.21 CHF 12.03

-26.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.92 CHF 1.52

-38.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.32 CHF 1.83

2.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$3.59 CHF 2.84

-77.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$68.8 CHF 54.4

-40.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$7.92 CHF 6.26

-81.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$4.32 CHF 3.42

-55.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$93.8 CHF 74.2

-91.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.17 CHF 1.71

-56.68%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$40.3K CHF 31.9K

-55.50%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$49.6K CHF 39.2K

-45.97%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$377 CHF 298

-77.73%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$53.4 CHF 42.22

-82.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$59.9 CHF 47.39

-59.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$87.8 CHF 69.4

-70.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$61.5 CHF 48.68

-69.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$25.03 CHF 19.80

-84.34%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$2,575 CHF 2,037

-88.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$34.9K CHF 27.6K

-83.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$132 CHF 104

-56.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$68.7 CHF 54.4

-53.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$173 CHF 137

-42.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$234 CHF 185

-54.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,457 CHF 1,153

-66.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,336 CHF 1,057

-72.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,427 CHF 1,920

-65.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$2,603 CHF 2,059

-72.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$8,447 CHF 6,681

-83.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$9,838 CHF 7,782

-94.46%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Liestal: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $1,457 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 1703% 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 $106 in Liestal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $657 – 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 233%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $5,163 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 67% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $2,575 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 $1,034, than in Liestal at $3,442. 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.