Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and St. Gallen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and St. Gallen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,806 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $5,351 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,896 in St. Gallen, rent included.

Medellin is about 56% cheaper than St. Gallen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and St. Gallen sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, St. Gallen by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$29.81 CHF 24.61

-73.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$145 CHF 120

-66.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$18.58 CHF 15.34

-46.77%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$6.09 CHF 5.03

-48.60%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$5.96 CHF 4.92

-67.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$5.22 CHF 4.31

-71.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$9.08 CHF 7.49

-65.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$6.40 CHF 5.28

-10.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.30 CHF 1.90

-37.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.11 CHF 2.56

-19.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.85 CHF 3.18

-54.03%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$7.90 CHF 6.52

-62.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$25.34 CHF 20.91

-60.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$28.79 CHF 23.76

-64.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$39.29 CHF 32.43

-63.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.06 CHF 2.53

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.61 CHF 1.33

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.38 CHF 1.96

-5.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$6.09 CHF 5.03

-63.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.68 CHF 1.39

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.16 CHF 1.78

-28.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.23 CHF 1.84

-47.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.24 CHF 1.02

5.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$11.16 CHF 9.21

-65.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$11.22 CHF 9.26

24.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.23 CHF 1.84

-21.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.38 CHF 1.96

20.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$4.24 CHF 3.50

-71.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$131 CHF 108

-38.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$6.59 CHF 5.44

-80.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$4.78 CHF 3.95

-54.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$78.7 CHF 64.9

-88.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.22 CHF 1.83

-38.29%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$35.8K CHF 29.6K

-22.30%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$39.9K CHF 32.9K

-10.33%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$314 CHF 259

-43.60%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$37.99 CHF 31.36

-63.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$56.0 CHF 46.19

-46.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$80.9 CHF 66.8

-44.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$98.0 CHF 80.9

-82.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$30.58 CHF 25.24

-78.25%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$2,297 CHF 1,896

-64.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$33.1K CHF 27.3K

-72.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$149 CHF 123

-40.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$65.7 CHF 54.2

-10.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$146 CHF 121

-5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$185 CHF 152

-44.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,825 CHF 1,506

-41.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,714 CHF 1,415

-61.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,906 CHF 2,398

-35.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,207 CHF 1,822

-53.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

-66.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$9,126 CHF 7,532

-81.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$6,752 CHF 5,573

-89.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.1

420.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,825 in St. Gallen. 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 896% higher in St. Gallen, 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 $145 in St. Gallen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $575 – 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 St. Gallen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Gallen is pricier by about 126%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $5,708 in St. Gallen. 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 $145 in St. Gallen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $3,806 in St. Gallen. 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 $1,681, than in St. Gallen at $3,806. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Gallen 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, St. Gallen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.