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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $3,525 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $5,499 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $7,473 in Meilen, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Meilen is 162% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$31.08 CHF 24.67

-80.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$145 CHF 115

-77.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$18.50 CHF 14.69

-60.92%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$6.37 CHF 5.06

-74.41%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$5.87 CHF 4.66

-81.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$5.13 CHF 4.07

-85.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$8.38 CHF 6.65

-79.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$7.27 CHF 5.77

-55.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.31 CHF 1.83

-54.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$3.29 CHF 2.61

-60.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$4.05 CHF 3.21

-67.41%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$7.53 CHF 5.98

-69.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$29.71 CHF 23.58

-85.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$33.41 CHF 26.52

-82.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$50.4 CHF 40.01

-82.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$4.23 CHF 3.36

-46.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-55.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.99 CHF 2.37

-49.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$5.18 CHF 4.11

-72.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-53.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-47.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-64.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.13 CHF 0.90

-20.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$11.01 CHF 8.74

-79.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$15.27 CHF 12.12

-27.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.16 CHF 1.71

-47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.29 CHF 1.82

3.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$3.83 CHF 3.04

-78.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$96.8 CHF 76.8

-56.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$6.63 CHF 5.26

-78.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$4.11 CHF 3.26

-53.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$81.5 CHF 64.7

-90.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-54.91%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$39.6K CHF 31.4K

-55.62%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

-31.93%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$256 CHF 203

-67.27%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$58.4 CHF 46.34

-83.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$58.8 CHF 46.71

-59.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$88.9 CHF 70.5

-71.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$64.7 CHF 51.4

-70.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$27.31 CHF 21.68

-84.99%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$2,795 CHF 2,219

-88.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$40.1K CHF 31.8K

-85.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$140 CHF 111

-58.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$61.6 CHF 48.92

-47.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$147 CHF 116

-32.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$205 CHF 163

-47.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,728 CHF 1,372

-72.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,468 CHF 1,165

-74.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$2,884 CHF 2,290

-70.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$2,465 CHF 1,957

-70.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$24.8K CHF 19.7K

-88.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$11.9K CHF 9,462

-89.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$8,694 CHF 6,902

-93.78%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Meilen: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $1,728 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 1507% 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 $145 in Meilen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $665 – 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $5,287 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 $145 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $3,525 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 $1,017, than in Meilen at $3,525. 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.