Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Olten Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Olten

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $2,973 in Olten, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $4,526 in Olten, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $6,078 in Olten, rent included.

Medellin is about 65% cheaper than Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Olten is 123% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$31.25 CHF 25.31

-80.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$103 CHF 83.2

-68.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$17.04 CHF 13.81

-56.92%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$5.51 CHF 4.46

-68.78%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$5.20 CHF 4.21

-79.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$4.51 CHF 3.65

-82.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$7.27 CHF 5.89

-76.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$6.26 CHF 5.07

-49.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.07 CHF 1.67

-49.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.42 CHF 2.77

-61.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$4.08 CHF 3.30

-65.69%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$7.52 CHF 6.09

-71.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$21.94 CHF 17.77

-79.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$25.36 CHF 20.54

-76.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$40.38 CHF 32.70

-78.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.22 CHF 3.42

-45.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.52 CHF 2.04

-55.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-49.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$5.04 CHF 4.08

-73.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.73 CHF 2.21

-58.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.30 CHF 1.86

-50.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-66.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.49 CHF 1.21

-38.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$11.01 CHF 8.92

-78.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.29 CHF 10.76

-6.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.07 CHF 1.67

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.43 CHF 1.97

2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$3.86 CHF 3.13

-78.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$98.2 CHF 79.6

-58.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$7.74 CHF 6.27

-81.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$4.21 CHF 3.41

-54.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$62.7 CHF 50.8

-87.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-55.80%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

-54.61%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-33.37%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$254 CHF 206

-68.22%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$33.62 CHF 27.24

-70.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$58.1 CHF 47.04

-58.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$62.4 CHF 50.5

-59.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$18.77 CHF 15.21

2.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$25.09 CHF 20.32

-84.14%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$3,456 CHF 2,799

-91.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

-84.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$139 CHF 113

-58.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$60.7 CHF 49.15

-46.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$146 CHF 118

-31.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$198 CHF 160

-45.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,256 CHF 1,017

-62.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,048 CHF 849

-64.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,956 CHF 1,585

-56.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,697 CHF 1,374

-56.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

-77.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

-88.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$4,205 CHF 3,406

-85.33%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Olten: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,256 in Olten. 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 582% higher in Olten, 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 $103 in Olten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $571 – 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 Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Olten is pricier by about 188%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $4,460 in Olten. 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 $103 in Olten. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $2,973 in Olten. 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 $1,031, than in Olten at $2,973. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Olten 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, Olten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.