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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $3,365 in Sion, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $5,046 in Sion, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $6,727 in Sion, rent included.

Medellin is about 51% cheaper than Sion, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sion sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Sion by 144%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$29.93 CHF 24.42

-73.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$92.4 CHF 75.4

-47.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$20.76 CHF 16.94

-54.62%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$4.43 CHF 3.62

-33.63%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$5.02 CHF 4.09

-62.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$4.00 CHF 3.26

-63.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$7.34 CHF 5.99

-56.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$7.50 CHF 6.12

-23.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.08 CHF 1.69

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.83 CHF 3.13

-37.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$4.15 CHF 3.39

-59.04%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$7.44 CHF 6.08

-61.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$26.38 CHF 21.53

-61.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$23.90 CHF 19.51

-58.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$40.76 CHF 33.26

-65.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.34 CHF 2.73

19.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.73 CHF 1.41

-8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.63 CHF 2.15

-18.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$6.17 CHF 5.03

-62.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.82 CHF 1.49

9.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.20 CHF 1.80

-31.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.53 CHF 2.07

-52.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.18 CHF 0.96

8.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$11.15 CHF 9.10

-65.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$12.70 CHF 10.37

10.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.90 CHF 1.55

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.88 CHF 1.53

45.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$5.39 CHF 4.40

-76.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$189 CHF 154

-58.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$6.36 CHF 5.19

-79.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$5.67 CHF 4.63

-61.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$49.29 CHF 40.23

-83.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-40.35%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$36.3K CHF 29.6K

-24.29%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$38.4K CHF 31.3K

-4.76%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$296 CHF 242

-42.98%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$23.00 CHF 18.77

-41.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$50.1 CHF 40.92

-43.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$139 CHF 113

-67.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$55.9 CHF 45.66

-69.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$20.53 CHF 16.75

-67.61%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$1,006 CHF 821

-20.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$35.5K CHF 29.0K

-74.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$169 CHF 138

-48.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$58.6 CHF 47.84

1.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$181 CHF 147

-23.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$151 CHF 123

-32.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,250 CHF 1,020

-14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,259 CHF 1,027

-48.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$2,378 CHF 1,941

-19.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$2,100 CHF 1,714

-50.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$7,669 CHF 6,259

-46.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$5,661 CHF 4,620

-70.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$5,988 CHF 4,887

-89.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.15

408.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sion: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,250 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 814% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $92.0 in Sion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $568 – 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 105%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $5,047 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $92.0 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $3,365 in Sion. 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 $1,641, than in Sion at $3,365. 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.