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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $2,809 in Sion, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $4,764 in Sion, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $6,719 in Sion, rent included.

Medellin is about 64% cheaper than Sion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Sion is 110% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$30.49 CHF 24.04

-80.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$122 CHF 96.0

-73.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$18.18 CHF 14.33

-61.00%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$4.59 CHF 3.62

-62.75%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$5.12 CHF 4.03

-78.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$4.23 CHF 3.33

-81.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$7.17 CHF 5.65

-76.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$7.45 CHF 5.88

-58.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.83 CHF 1.44

-40.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.86 CHF 3.04

-67.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$4.92 CHF 3.88

-71.95%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$5.96 CHF 4.70

-63.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$28.37 CHF 22.37

-84.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$23.36 CHF 18.41

-75.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$44.20 CHF 34.85

-79.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.40 CHF 2.68

-31.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.74 CHF 2.16

-61.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.59 CHF 2.83

-58.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$6.13 CHF 4.84

-77.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$3.15 CHF 2.48

-63.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.98 CHF 2.35

-61.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$2.54 CHF 2.01

-64.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.20 CHF 0.95

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$11.20 CHF 8.83

-79.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$14.06 CHF 11.09

-24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.87 CHF 1.47

-35.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.86 CHF 1.46

32.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$5.28 CHF 4.16

-83.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$187 CHF 147

-77.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$6.20 CHF 4.89

-76.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$4.26 CHF 3.36

-53.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$49.76 CHF 39.23

-84.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$2.22 CHF 1.75

-57.21%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$40.0K CHF 31.5K

-54.67%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$38.4K CHF 30.3K

-31.04%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$309 CHF 243

-73.34%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$37.41 CHF 29.50

-74.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$60.4 CHF 47.62

-59.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$138 CHF 109

-81.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$54.6 CHF 43.07

-65.22%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$22.52 CHF 17.76

-82.55%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$994 CHF 783

-68.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$35.0K CHF 27.6K

-82.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$135 CHF 107

-56.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$61.3 CHF 48.34

-47.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$161 CHF 127

-36.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$225 CHF 177

-51.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$857 CHF 676

-44.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$743 CHF 586

-49.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,701 CHF 1,341

-50.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,888 CHF 1,488

-61.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$7,796 CHF 6,147

-64.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$5,773 CHF 4,551

-79.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$6,200 CHF 4,888

-91.75%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sion: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $857 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 1111% 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: $188 vs $595 – 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 177%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $4,214 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $2,809 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 $1,013, than in Sion at $2,809. 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.