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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $3,169 in Olten, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $4,940 in Olten, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $6,712 in Olten, rent included.

Medellin is about 46% cheaper than Olten, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Olten sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Olten by 131%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$34.18 CHF 27.65

-76.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$123 CHF 99.9

-60.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$17.95 CHF 14.52

-45.57%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$6.59 CHF 5.33

-55.84%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$5.56 CHF 4.50

-65.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$5.52 CHF 4.46

-72.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$9.34 CHF 7.56

-66.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$7.56 CHF 6.12

-24.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$2.27 CHF 1.83

-40.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$3.99 CHF 3.22

-40.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$3.89 CHF 3.15

-56.30%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$8.76 CHF 7.09

-67.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$25.96 CHF 21.00

-61.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$27.37 CHF 22.14

-60.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$47.48 CHF 38.42

-68.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$4.25 CHF 3.44

-3.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$2.83 CHF 2.29

-44.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$3.07 CHF 2.48

-30.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$4.86 CHF 3.93

-54.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$2.68 CHF 2.17

-23.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-32.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$2.49 CHF 2.01

-52.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$1.30 CHF 1.05

-10.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$11.06 CHF 8.95

-64.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$13.74 CHF 11.12

5.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$2.74 CHF 2.22

-42.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$3.16 CHF 2.55

-10.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$5.41 CHF 4.37

-78.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$109 CHF 88.6

-28.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$8.24 CHF 6.67

-84.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$4.80 CHF 3.88

-56.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$90.3 CHF 73.0

-90.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$2.28 CHF 1.85

-42.98%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-31.92%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$39.9K CHF 32.3K

-10.98%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$287 CHF 233

-38.75%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$34.09 CHF 27.58

-60.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$49.15 CHF 39.76

-39.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$82.9 CHF 67.1

-45.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$21.24 CHF 17.18

-70.81%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$3,643 CHF 2,947

-78.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

-78.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$143 CHF 115

-39.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$60.4 CHF 48.88

-3.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$168 CHF 136

-18.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$219 CHF 178

-53.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$1,260 CHF 1,020

-15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$1,058 CHF 856

-35.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,984 CHF 1,605

1.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,954 CHF 1,581

-40.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$4,404 CHF 3,563

-84.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.07

428.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Olten: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,260 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 562% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $123 in Olten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $631 – 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 85%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $4,754 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $123 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $3,169 in Olten. 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 $1,716, than in Olten at $3,169. 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.