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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $3,566 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $5,365 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $7,165 in St. Gallen, rent included.

Medellin is about 72% cheaper than St. Gallen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while St. Gallen is 168% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$30.77 CHF 24.83

-80.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$145 CHF 117

-77.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$18.51 CHF 14.93

-59.86%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$6.31 CHF 5.09

-73.85%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$5.72 CHF 4.62

-80.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$5.29 CHF 4.27

-85.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$7.68 CHF 6.20

-77.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$7.17 CHF 5.79

-55.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.29 CHF 1.85

-51.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.65 CHF 2.14

-52.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$3.54 CHF 2.86

-61.02%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$7.92 CHF 6.39

-72.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$28.07 CHF 22.65

-84.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$32.38 CHF 26.13

-82.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$41.83 CHF 33.76

-78.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.18 CHF 2.56

-27.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.84 CHF 1.48

-42.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.57 CHF 2.08

-40.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$7.11 CHF 5.74

-80.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.59 CHF 2.09

-56.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-49.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.41 CHF 1.94

-62.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.15 CHF 0.93

-21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$10.77 CHF 8.69

-79.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$11.46 CHF 9.25

5.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.20 CHF 1.78

-45.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.29 CHF 1.85

8.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$4.29 CHF 3.46

-80.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$79.6 CHF 64.3

-47.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$6.68 CHF 5.39

-78.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$4.27 CHF 3.45

-54.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$78.6 CHF 63.5

-89.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-54.79%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$40.9K CHF 33.0K

-57.02%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$40.7K CHF 32.9K

-34.21%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$330 CHF 266

-74.83%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$59.2 CHF 47.81

-83.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$53.2 CHF 42.92

-55.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$80.2 CHF 64.8

-68.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$98.6 CHF 79.6

-80.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$30.77 CHF 24.83

-87.16%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$2,877 CHF 2,322

-89.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$34.7K CHF 28.0K

-82.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$149 CHF 120

-59.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$67.0 CHF 54.1

-52.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$155 CHF 125

-34.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$236 CHF 191

-54.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,831 CHF 1,478

-74.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,539 CHF 1,242

-75.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,720 CHF 2,195

-68.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$2,341 CHF 1,889

-69.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$12.3K CHF 9,918

-73.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$9,211 CHF 7,433

-84.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$6,725 CHF 5,427

-90.71%

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 27, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $1,831 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 977% 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 $145 in St. Gallen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $614 – 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 256%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $5,348 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 $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 $1,003 in Medellin and $3,566 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 $1,003, than in St. Gallen at $3,566. 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.