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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $3,111 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $4,932 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $6,752 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

Medellin is about 67% cheaper than Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Schaffhausen is 133% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$31.08 CHF 24.65

-80.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$125 CHF 98.9

-73.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$15.93 CHF 12.63

-53.42%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$5.51 CHF 4.37

-70.05%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$5.42 CHF 4.30

-80.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$4.30 CHF 3.41

-82.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$8.10 CHF 6.42

-78.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$7.19 CHF 5.70

-55.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.98 CHF 1.57

-46.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$3.64 CHF 2.89

-64.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$3.63 CHF 2.88

-63.09%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$7.81 CHF 6.19

-71.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$29.12 CHF 23.09

-84.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$34.70 CHF 27.52

-83.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$51.6 CHF 40.96

-83.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.67 CHF 2.91

-36.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.23 CHF 1.77

-50.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.96 CHF 2.35

-48.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$5.97 CHF 4.73

-77.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.46 CHF 1.95

-53.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-52.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.56 CHF 2.03

-67.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.27 CHF 1.00

-32.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$11.02 CHF 8.74

-79.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$12.39 CHF 9.82

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.32 CHF 1.04

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.64 CHF 2.09

-6.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$3.79 CHF 3.01

-79.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$87.8 CHF 69.7

-53.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$9.72 CHF 7.71

-84.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$4.06 CHF 3.22

-52.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$61.3 CHF 48.58

-87.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$2.19 CHF 1.74

-53.88%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$40.6K CHF 32.2K

-56.55%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$41.9K CHF 33.2K

-36.89%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$249 CHF 197

-67.39%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$28.70 CHF 22.76

-67.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$42.91 CHF 34.03

-44.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$110 CHF 86.9

-76.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$46.97 CHF 37.25

-60.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$22.43 CHF 17.79

-81.77%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$3,392 CHF 2,690

-90.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$42.6K CHF 33.8K

-85.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$112 CHF 88.9

-46.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$67.0 CHF 53.2

-52.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$133 CHF 105

-23.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$154 CHF 122

-31.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,214 CHF 963

-60.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,214 CHF 963

-69.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,755 CHF 2,185

-69.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$2,191 CHF 1,738

-66.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$8,333 CHF 6,609

-64.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$6,762 CHF 5,363

-80.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$9,441 CHF 7,487

-94.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.5

437.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $1,214 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 1614% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $125 in Schaffhausen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $666 – 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 203%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $4,667 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $125 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $3,111 in Schaffhausen. 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 $1,028, than in Schaffhausen at $3,111. 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.