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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $3,479 in Staefa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $5,384 in Staefa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $7,289 in Staefa, rent included.

Medellin is about 70% cheaper than Staefa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Staefa is 160% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$30.73 CHF 24.31

-80.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$149 CHF 118

-77.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$18.08 CHF 14.30

-60.18%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$6.24 CHF 4.94

-72.76%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$5.69 CHF 4.50

-80.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$5.28 CHF 4.17

-86.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$7.63 CHF 6.03

-78.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$6.89 CHF 5.45

-55.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-50.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.79 CHF 2.21

-55.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.51 CHF 2.78

-60.40%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$8.19 CHF 6.47

-72.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$27.35 CHF 21.63

-84.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$32.28 CHF 25.53

-81.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$49.14 CHF 38.87

-82.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.18 CHF 2.51

-29.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.90 CHF 2.29

-62.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.04 CHF 2.40

-49.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$5.23 CHF 4.13

-73.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.84 CHF 2.24

-60.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.36 CHF 1.87

-52.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.58 CHF 2.04

-67.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.21 CHF 0.95

-24.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$11.23 CHF 8.88

-79.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$15.07 CHF 11.92

-26.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.64 CHF 2.09

-54.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.33 CHF 1.84

1.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$3.82 CHF 3.02

-79.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$96.7 CHF 76.5

-57.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$6.87 CHF 5.44

-79.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$4.11 CHF 3.25

-53.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$42.52 CHF 33.64

-81.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.22 CHF 1.76

-57.66%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$40.6K CHF 32.1K

-55.89%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$39.8K CHF 31.5K

-32.63%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$252 CHF 199

-66.70%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$36.07 CHF 28.53

-73.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$53.0 CHF 41.89

-54.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$89.1 CHF 70.5

-70.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$25.03 CHF 19.80

-84.34%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$2,854 CHF 2,257

-89.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

-85.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$139 CHF 110

-58.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$61.6 CHF 48.71

-48.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$146 CHF 115

-31.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$200 CHF 158

-46.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,720 CHF 1,361

-71.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,496 CHF 1,183

-75.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,807 CHF 2,220

-70.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$2,450 CHF 1,938

-70.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$13.0K CHF 10.3K

-77.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$10.5K CHF 8,339

-86.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.09

542.58%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Staefa: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $1,720 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $149 in Staefa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $645 – 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 237%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $5,218 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $149 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $3,479 in Staefa. 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 $1,034, than in Staefa at $3,479. 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.