Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Schwechat

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,284 in Schwechat, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Schwechat, Austria
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Schwechat
🇦🇹 Austria
$2,284
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Schwechat

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Schwechat actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $2,284 in Schwechat, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Schwechat $2,284

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $3,370 in Schwechat, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Schwechat $3,370

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $4,456 in Schwechat, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Schwechat $4,456

Medellin is about 28% cheaper than Schwechat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Schwechat sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Schwechat by 68%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Schwechat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$17.94 €16.03
-54.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.8K
$78.2 €69.8
-39.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$13.47 €12.03
-29.47%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,729
$5.10 €4.55
-40.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,806
$3.96 €3.53
-54.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,558
$3.26 €2.91
-56.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$5.78 €5.16
-44.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$5.31 €4.75
8.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Schwechat
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,873
$1.56 €1.40
-3.21%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,673
$2.18 €1.95
9.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,716
$2.55 €2.28
-30.59%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,327
$4.50 €4.02
-35.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$21.45 €19.16
-52.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$14.43 €12.89
-31.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$22.76 €20.33
-38.53%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.82 €2.52
40.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,009
$2.22 €1.98
-30.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,044
$3.60 €3.21
-39.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,047
$7.42 €6.63
-70.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,333
$2.18 €1.95
-10.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,129
$1.85 €1.66
-14.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,696
$1.89 €1.69
-39.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,012
$0.82 €0.73
51.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$7.21 €6.44
-45.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$8.25 €7.37
65.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,356
$1.42 €1.27
16.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,286
$1.87 €1.67
20.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Schwechat
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,769
$2.85 €2.54
-58.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.7K
$61.1 €54.6
26.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,092
$4.93 €4.40
-74.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,608
$2.09 €1.87
-1.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$44.40 €39.66
-80.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,346
$1.94 €1.73
-30.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.9M
$29.4K €26.2K
15.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$31.2K €27.9K
11.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Schwechat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.5K
$322 €288
-47.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$13.92 €12.43
-2.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$32.93 €29.42
-14.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Schwechat
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.0K
$40.19 €35.90
8.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
$24.50 €21.88
-29.84%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$14.95 €13.35
-53.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Schwechat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$387 €345
106.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$27.8K €24.9K
-67.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Schwechat
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.4K
$89.9 €80.3
-5.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.0K
$38.37 €34.27
51.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.5K
$90.8 €81.1
48.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.8K
$132 €118
-25.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Schwechat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$979 €874
23.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$881 €787
-27.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,619 €1,446
25.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,400 €1,250
-27.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
$6,960 €6,217
-40.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$5,937 €5,303
-67.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Schwechat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$5,345 €4,774
-87.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.41
220.82%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Schwechat: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Schwechat
$881 37.3% $239
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Schwechat
$404 36.2% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Schwechat
$369 74.6% $158
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Schwechat
$313 84.8% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Schwechat
$158 6.5% $11
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Schwechat
$88 6.1% $5.7
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Schwechat
$70 21.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $979 in Schwechat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Schwechat are about 8.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $78 in Schwechat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $404 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇦🇹 Schwechat
🕒 Local time
05:50 5:50 AM
11:50 11:50 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
12,351
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,227 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,613 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.893 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Schwechat 9,640 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Schwechat

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Schwechat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Schwechat?
Yes – Schwechat is pricier by about 39%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $3,425 in Schwechat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Schwechat, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $979 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Schwechat?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $78 in Schwechat. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Schwechat?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $2,284 in Schwechat. That makes Medellin about 28% cheaper.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Schwechat?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $2,284 in Schwechat. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Schwechat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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