Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sion Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sion

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $2,806 in Sion, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $4,758 in Sion, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $6,709 in Sion, rent included.

Medellin is about 63% cheaper than Sion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Sion is 110% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$30.60 CHF 24.79

-79.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$122 CHF 99.0

-73.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$18.01 CHF 14.59

-59.24%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.67 CHF 3.78

-63.17%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$5.08 CHF 4.12

-79.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$4.38 CHF 3.55

-82.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$7.60 CHF 6.15

-77.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.17 CHF 5.81

-55.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.85 CHF 1.50

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.82 CHF 3.10

-65.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$5.04 CHF 4.08

-72.22%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$6.20 CHF 5.02

-65.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$27.38 CHF 22.18

-83.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$23.80 CHF 19.28

-75.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$44.05 CHF 35.68

-80.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.58 CHF 2.90

-36.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.72 CHF 2.20

-59.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.64 CHF 2.95

-57.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$6.34 CHF 5.14

-78.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$3.14 CHF 2.54

-64.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.82 CHF 2.29

-59.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.54 CHF 2.06

-66.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.25 CHF 1.01

-27.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$11.00 CHF 8.91

-78.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.59 CHF 11.01

-8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.82 CHF 1.47

-34.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.88 CHF 1.52

32.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$5.14 CHF 4.16

-83.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$181 CHF 147

-77.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$6.30 CHF 5.10

-77.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$4.24 CHF 3.44

-54.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$49.32 CHF 39.95

-84.47%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.1K

-55.88%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$37.6K CHF 30.5K

-29.22%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$307 CHF 249

-73.67%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$37.36 CHF 30.26

-73.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$59.0 CHF 47.80

-59.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$140 CHF 114

-82.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$55.6 CHF 45.00

-65.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$22.42 CHF 18.16

-82.25%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$985 CHF 798

-69.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$35.2K CHF 28.5K

-82.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$133 CHF 107

-56.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$60.8 CHF 49.24

-47.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$157 CHF 127

-35.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$223 CHF 181

-51.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$873 CHF 707

-45.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$743 CHF 602

-49.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,715 CHF 1,389

-50.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,922 CHF 1,557

-62.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$7,432 CHF 6,020

-56.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$5,527 CHF 4,477

-75.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$5,940 CHF 4,811

-89.62%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sion: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $873 in Sion. 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 863% higher in Sion, 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 $122 in Sion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $596 – 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 Sion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sion is pricier by about 172%, 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 $4,210 in Sion. 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 $122 in Sion. 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 $2,806 in Sion. 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 Sion at $2,806. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sion 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sion makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.