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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,456 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $5,967 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $8,477 in Meilen, rent included.

Medellin is about 51% cheaper than Meilen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Meilen sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Meilen by 153%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$30.64 CHF 25.29

-73.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$122 CHF 100

-60.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$16.67 CHF 13.76

-40.67%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$6.26 CHF 5.17

-50.00%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$5.55 CHF 4.58

-65.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$5.04 CHF 4.16

-70.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$8.43 CHF 6.96

-62.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$8.54 CHF 7.05

-32.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.22 CHF 1.84

-35.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.54 CHF 2.92

-29.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$4.04 CHF 3.33

-56.19%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$7.97 CHF 6.57

-62.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$27.40 CHF 22.62

-63.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$26.64 CHF 21.99

-62.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$41.75 CHF 34.46

-65.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.66 CHF 3.02

13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.08 CHF 1.71

-22.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.67 CHF 2.20

-15.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.86 CHF 4.01

-53.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.10 CHF 1.73

-2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-30.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.38 CHF 1.96

-50.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.29 CHF 1.06

1.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$11.10 CHF 9.16

-64.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$13.39 CHF 11.05

4.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.84 CHF 2.34

1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$4.59 CHF 3.79

-73.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$102 CHF 84.2

-21.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$7.97 CHF 6.58

-83.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$4.74 CHF 3.91

-53.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$88.0 CHF 72.7

-90.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.19 CHF 1.81

-37.44%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

-29.99%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$40.5K CHF 33.5K

-11.76%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$240 CHF 198

-26.06%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$39.33 CHF 32.46

-64.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$66.0 CHF 54.5

-54.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$92.6 CHF 76.4

-51.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$46.24 CHF 38.17

-62.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$22.49 CHF 18.56

-70.43%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$2,882 CHF 2,379

-71.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$44.1K CHF 36.4K

-79.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$140 CHF 115

-36.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$60.3 CHF 49.80

-2.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$150 CHF 124

-8.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$173 CHF 143

-41.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,772 CHF 1,462

-40.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,493 CHF 1,232

-55.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,847 CHF 2,350

-33.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$4,086 CHF 3,373

-74.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$16.1K CHF 13.3K

-73.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$12.3K CHF 10.2K

-86.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$8,471 CHF 6,992

-92.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.72

536.05%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Meilen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,772 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 1150% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $122 in Meilen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $591 – 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 106%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $5,184 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $122 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $3,456 in Meilen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Meilen at $3,456. 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.