Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Schaffhausen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Schaffhausen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $3,258 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $5,195 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $7,132 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

Medellin is about 48% cheaper than Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Schaffhausen sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Schaffhausen by 138%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$30.56 CHF 24.44

-74.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$123 CHF 98.7

-63.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$18.55 CHF 14.83

-49.92%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$5.64 CHF 4.51

-48.58%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$5.71 CHF 4.56

-68.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$5.07 CHF 4.05

-69.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$8.67 CHF 6.93

-62.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$7.56 CHF 6.04

-22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.21 CHF 1.77

-37.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$4.23 CHF 3.39

-42.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$4.18 CHF 3.34

-63.88%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$8.20 CHF 6.56

-66.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$28.10 CHF 22.47

-67.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$31.61 CHF 25.27

-66.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$44.32 CHF 35.44

-66.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.91 CHF 3.13

1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.13 CHF 1.70

-35.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.13 CHF 2.50

-26.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$5.87 CHF 4.70

-65.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.49 CHF 1.99

-16.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$2.21 CHF 1.77

-26.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$2.45 CHF 1.96

-55.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.19 CHF 0.95

5.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$11.06 CHF 8.85

-63.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$13.51 CHF 10.80

-0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.97 CHF 2.37

-46.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.96 CHF 3.16

-24.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$4.08 CHF 3.26

-71.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$98.8 CHF 79.0

-19.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$5.99 CHF 4.79

-73.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$3.64 CHF 2.91

-41.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$62.7 CHF 50.1

-86.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$2.18 CHF 1.75

-38.07%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$43.4K CHF 34.7K

-34.81%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$39.7K CHF 31.7K

-10.01%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$229 CHF 183

-34.02%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$31.83 CHF 25.45

-58.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$64.5 CHF 51.6

-49.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$110 CHF 88.3

-58.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$47.61 CHF 38.07

-63.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$23.89 CHF 19.10

-73.08%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$3,155 CHF 2,523

-73.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$33.3K CHF 26.7K

-73.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$170 CHF 136

-47.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$55.9 CHF 44.71

-1.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$193 CHF 154

-29.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$152 CHF 121

-27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$1,340 CHF 1,072

-28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$1,201 CHF 961

-44.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$2,728 CHF 2,181

-25.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$2,337 CHF 1,869

-50.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$8,177 CHF 6,538

-54.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$8,576 CHF 6,858

-81.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$7,473 CHF 5,975

-91.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

2.48

320.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $1,340 in Schaffhausen. 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 1095% higher in Schaffhausen, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $123 in Schaffhausen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $649 – 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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Schaffhausen is pricier by about 93%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $4,887 in Schaffhausen. 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $123 in Schaffhausen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $3,258 in Schaffhausen. 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 $1,687, than in Schaffhausen at $3,258. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Schaffhausen 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, Schaffhausen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.