Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Liestal

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $3,219 in Liestal, rent and utilities included – about $19,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
158

Cost of Living Index in Liestal
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Liestal Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Liestal

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,219

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Liestal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Liestal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $3,219 in Liestal, rent included.

Medellin $1,614
Liestal $3,219

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $5,162 in Liestal, rent included.

Medellin $2,402
Liestal $5,162

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $7,104 in Liestal, rent included.

Medellin $3,190
Liestal $7,104

Medellin is about 50% cheaper than Liestal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Liestal sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Liestal by 138%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.2K

$28.71 CHF 23.64

-72.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.3K

$122 CHF 101

-62.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

$17.90 CHF 14.74

-46.93%

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,866

$6.51 CHF 5.36

-52.23%

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

$1.83 COP 5,800

$6.30 CHF 5.19

-70.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,360

$5.94 CHF 4.89

-76.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,672

$9.12 CHF 7.51

-66.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

$7.67 CHF 6.31

-28.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,600

$2.19 CHF 1.80

-33.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,496

$3.10 CHF 2.55

-23.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,328

$3.20 CHF 2.64

-47.50%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,077

$7.72 CHF 6.36

-62.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

$24.02 CHF 19.78

-57.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

$26.82 CHF 22.09

-64.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

$38.34 CHF 31.58

-63.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

$3.80 CHF 3.13

7.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-32.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

$2.67 CHF 2.20

-18.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

$4.74 CHF 3.90

-51.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,113

$1.75 CHF 1.44

10.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

$1.97 CHF 1.62

-16.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,571

$2.29 CHF 1.89

-50.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,954

$1.30 CHF 1.07

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

$11.14 CHF 9.17

-64.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

$12.00 CHF 9.88

11.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

$2.25 CHF 1.86

-24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

$3.01 CHF 2.48

-21.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,827

$4.58 CHF 3.77

-73.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

$98.0 CHF 80.7

-21.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

$7.98 CHF 6.57

-83.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

$4.70 CHF 3.87

-54.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

$109 CHF 89.9

-92.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

$2.28 CHF 1.87

-42.98%

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

$42.6K CHF 35.1K

-34.30%

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

$38.4K CHF 31.6K

-7.83%

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

$172 COP 545.6K

$288 CHF 237

-40.16%

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

$13.37 COP 42.4K

$28.10 CHF 23.14

-52.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.1K

$64.4 CHF 53.0

-55.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.5K

$86.5 CHF 71.2

-47.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

$45.59 CHF 37.55

-62.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

$23.66 CHF 19.49

-73.46%

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

$770 COP 2.4M

$3,004 CHF 2,474

-74.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

$31.1K CHF 25.7K

-71.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

$143 CHF 118

-39.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

$60.5 CHF 49.82

-5.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

$157 CHF 129

-12.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

$199 CHF 164

-50.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

$1,664 CHF 1,370

-36.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

$1,275 CHF 1,050

-51.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

$2,847 CHF 2,345

-33.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

$2,634 CHF 2,169

-61.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

$16.1K CHF 13.3K

-74.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

$12.0K CHF 9,901

-86.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$9,061 CHF 7,463

-92.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.42

352.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Liestal: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Liestal

$1.3K 39.6% 107% $659

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Liestal

$560 17.4% 89.9% $265

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Liestal

$380 11.8% 77.5% $166

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Liestal

$252 7.8% 48% $82

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Liestal

$471 14.6% 180% $303

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Liestal

$148 4.6% 58.3% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Liestal

$134 4.2% 132% $76

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $1,664 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 1289% 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $122 in Liestal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $560 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇭 Liestal

🕒 Local time

03:31 3:31 AM

10:31 10:31 AM

7 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

13,807

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Liestal 8,990 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Liestal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 99%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $4,829 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 28% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $770 per month in Medellin and $3,004 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 $1,614, than in Liestal at $3,219. 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.