Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Meilen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Meilen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $3,482 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $5,449 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $7,416 in Meilen, rent included.

Medellin is about 71% cheaper than Meilen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Meilen is 162% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$30.45 CHF 24.58

-80.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$146 CHF 117

-77.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$18.82 CHF 15.19

-60.52%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$6.46 CHF 5.21

-74.46%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$6.03 CHF 4.86

-81.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$5.14 CHF 4.15

-84.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$8.76 CHF 7.07

-80.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$7.43 CHF 5.99

-57.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.18 CHF 1.76

-49.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.38 CHF 2.72

-62.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$3.97 CHF 3.20

-65.24%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$7.44 CHF 6.01

-70.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$29.03 CHF 23.43

-84.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$33.05 CHF 26.67

-82.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$50.7 CHF 40.94

-82.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.04 CHF 3.26

-42.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.42 CHF 1.95

-56.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.10 CHF 2.50

-50.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.97 CHF 4.01

-72.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.63 CHF 2.12

-57.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.34 CHF 1.89

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-64.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.15 CHF 0.93

-21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$11.25 CHF 9.08

-80.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$13.11 CHF 10.58

-7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.20 CHF 1.78

-45.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.29 CHF 1.85

8.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$4.03 CHF 3.25

-78.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$98.9 CHF 79.8

-57.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$6.61 CHF 5.33

-78.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$4.16 CHF 3.35

-53.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$79.5 CHF 64.2

-90.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-55.20%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$40.2K CHF 32.4K

-56.20%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$39.3K CHF 31.8K

-31.89%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$251 CHF 202

-66.92%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$60.4 CHF 48.72

-83.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$59.5 CHF 48.02

-60.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$86.5 CHF 69.8

-70.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$46.78 CHF 37.75

-59.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$26.94 CHF 21.74

-85.34%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$2,850 CHF 2,300

-88.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$40.1K CHF 32.3K

-85.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$140 CHF 113

-57.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$60.7 CHF 48.96

-47.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$148 CHF 120

-31.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$201 CHF 162

-46.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,679 CHF 1,355

-71.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,493 CHF 1,205

-74.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,862 CHF 2,309

-70.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$2,474 CHF 1,996

-70.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

-77.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$12.4K CHF 9,986

-88.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$8,239 CHF 6,649

-92.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.09

542.58%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Meilen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $1,679 in Meilen. 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 1219% higher in Meilen, 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 $146 in Meilen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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 Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Meilen is pricier by about 247%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $5,223 in Meilen. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $146 in Meilen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $3,482 in Meilen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Meilen at $3,482. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Meilen 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, Meilen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.