Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Staefa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Staefa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $3,420 in Staefa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $5,329 in Staefa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $7,238 in Staefa, rent included.

Medellin is about 51% cheaper than Staefa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Staefa sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Staefa by 150%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$30.60 CHF 24.46

-74.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$122 CHF 97.2

-63.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$16.98 CHF 13.57

-45.29%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$6.38 CHF 5.10

-54.55%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$5.65 CHF 4.52

-67.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$5.23 CHF 4.19

-70.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$8.71 CHF 6.96

-62.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$8.44 CHF 6.75

-30.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.11 CHF 1.69

-34.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$3.40 CHF 2.72

-27.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$3.99 CHF 3.19

-62.16%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$8.62 CHF 6.89

-67.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$27.49 CHF 21.98

-67.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$25.53 CHF 20.42

-58.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$55.3 CHF 44.25

-73.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.59 CHF 2.87

10.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.81 CHF 2.25

-50.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.47 CHF 2.77

-33.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$4.59 CHF 3.67

-55.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.47 CHF 1.97

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$2.21 CHF 1.77

-26.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$2.61 CHF 2.09

-58.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.30 CHF 1.04

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$11.05 CHF 8.83

-63.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$13.51 CHF 10.80

-0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.73 CHF 2.18

-41.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.80 CHF 2.24

7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$4.55 CHF 3.64

-74.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$104 CHF 83.3

-23.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$7.57 CHF 6.06

-78.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$4.81 CHF 3.84

-55.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$87.2 CHF 69.7

-90.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$2.29 CHF 1.83

-41.05%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$40.7K CHF 32.6K

-30.43%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$39.7K CHF 31.7K

-9.99%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$205 CHF 164

-26.06%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$32.31 CHF 25.83

-59.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$56.6 CHF 45.25

-42.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$95.9 CHF 76.7

-51.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$46.30 CHF 37.02

-62.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$22.51 CHF 18.00

-71.43%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$2,911 CHF 2,327

-71.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$42.9K CHF 34.3K

-79.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$142 CHF 113

-36.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$60.3 CHF 48.18

-8.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$147 CHF 118

-7.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$174 CHF 139

-37.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$1,789 CHF 1,431

-46.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$1,495 CHF 1,195

-55.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$2,907 CHF 2,325

-30.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$2,532 CHF 2,024

-54.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$16.7K CHF 13.3K

-77.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$12.1K CHF 9,713

-86.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

1.72

506.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Staefa: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $1,789 in Staefa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $122 in Staefa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $638 – 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 Staefa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Staefa is pricier by about 103%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $5,130 in Staefa. 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $122 in Staefa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $3,420 in Staefa. 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 $1,687, than in Staefa at $3,420. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Staefa 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, Staefa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.