Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thun Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thun

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $3,548 in Thun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $5,381 in Thun, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $7,214 in Thun, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Thun is 163% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$27.75 CHF 21.73

-77.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$122 CHF 95.8

-72.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$17.27 CHF 13.52

-57.61%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$5.81 CHF 4.55

-71.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$4.82 CHF 3.77

-77.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$4.65 CHF 3.64

-83.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$8.38 CHF 6.56

-79.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$7.75 CHF 6.07

-59.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$2.24 CHF 1.75

-50.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$3.38 CHF 2.65

-61.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$4.11 CHF 3.22

-66.42%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$7.14 CHF 5.59

-68.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$26.35 CHF 20.63

-83.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$28.15 CHF 22.04

-79.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$40.83 CHF 31.97

-78.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$3.42 CHF 2.68

-33.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$2.16 CHF 1.69

-48.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$2.82 CHF 2.21

-48.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$6.40 CHF 5.01

-78.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$2.26 CHF 1.77

-50.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$2.16 CHF 1.69

-46.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$2.51 CHF 1.97

-64.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$1.09 CHF 0.86

-20.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$10.98 CHF 8.60

-78.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$12.83 CHF 10.05

-15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$1.96 CHF 1.54

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$2.27 CHF 1.78

9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$3.88 CHF 3.04

-79.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$99.0 CHF 77.6

-58.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$7.77 CHF 6.08

-81.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$3.31 CHF 2.59

-42.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$65.8 CHF 51.5

-88.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$2.14 CHF 1.68

-54.67%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$40.8K CHF 32.0K

-55.68%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$41.8K CHF 32.7K

-37.05%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$370 CHF 290

-78.02%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$59.3 CHF 46.46

-83.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$57.8 CHF 45.22

-57.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$87.1 CHF 68.2

-70.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$24.98 CHF 19.56

-84.43%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$3,021 CHF 2,365

-89.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$33.4K CHF 26.2K

-82.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$149 CHF 117

-60.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$69.3 CHF 54.2

-53.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$176 CHF 138

-42.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$183 CHF 143

-40.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$1,684 CHF 1,319

-71.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$1,447 CHF 1,133

-74.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$2,888 CHF 2,261

-70.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$2,442 CHF 1,912

-70.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$7,747 CHF 6,066

-82.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$6,547 CHF 5,126

-91.73%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Thun: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $1,684 in Thun. 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 1109% higher in Thun, 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 in Medellin versus $122 in Thun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $591 – 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 Thun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thun is pricier by about 250%, 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $5,322 in Thun. 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 $122 in Thun. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,014 in Medellin and $3,548 in Thun. 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 $1,014, than in Thun at $3,548. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thun 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.