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 $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $3,591 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $5,378 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $7,164 in St. Gallen, rent included.

Medellin is about 71% cheaper than St. Gallen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while St. Gallen is 169% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$30.25 CHF 24.35

-80.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$151 CHF 121

-78.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$18.53 CHF 14.92

-59.96%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$6.36 CHF 5.12

-74.06%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$5.82 CHF 4.69

-81.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$5.36 CHF 4.32

-85.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$7.35 CHF 5.92

-76.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$7.05 CHF 5.67

-54.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-52.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$2.69 CHF 2.16

-51.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$3.57 CHF 2.88

-62.46%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$8.23 CHF 6.63

-73.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$28.13 CHF 22.64

-84.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$32.91 CHF 26.49

-82.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$41.33 CHF 33.27

-79.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$3.25 CHF 2.62

-28.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.84 CHF 1.48

-39.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$2.47 CHF 1.99

-38.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$7.17 CHF 5.77

-80.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$2.62 CHF 2.11

-56.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$2.36 CHF 1.90

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$2.31 CHF 1.86

-63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$1.11 CHF 0.89

-22.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$10.67 CHF 8.59

-78.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$11.46 CHF 9.22

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$2.28 CHF 1.84

-47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.32 CHF 1.87

6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$4.25 CHF 3.42

-81.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$81.4 CHF 65.5

-49.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$6.86 CHF 5.52

-78.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$4.14 CHF 3.33

-53.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$80.9 CHF 65.1

-90.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$2.13 CHF 1.71

-52.58%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$41.0K CHF 33.0K

-56.92%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$41.7K CHF 33.5K

-36.50%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$332 CHF 267

-75.59%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$58.9 CHF 47.42

-83.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$53.3 CHF 42.89

-55.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$82.2 CHF 66.2

-68.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$99.8 CHF 80.3

-81.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$30.44 CHF 24.50

-86.56%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$2,823 CHF 2,272

-88.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$35.0K CHF 28.2K

-82.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$146 CHF 117

-58.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$66.6 CHF 53.6

-51.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$154 CHF 124

-34.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$236 CHF 190

-55.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,819 CHF 1,464

-73.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,548 CHF 1,246

-76.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,801 CHF 2,254

-70.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$2,376 CHF 1,912

-69.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$12.5K CHF 10.1K

-76.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$10.2K CHF 8,185

-87.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$6,953 CHF 5,596

-92.08%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $1,819 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 1162% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $151 in St. Gallen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $616 – 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 249%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $5,387 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $151 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $3,591 in St. Gallen. 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 $1,028, than in St. Gallen at $3,591. 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.