Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vernier Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vernier

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $3,513 in Vernier, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $5,458 in Vernier, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $7,402 in Vernier, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Vernier is 164% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$36.85 CHF 29.74

-83.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$146 CHF 117

-77.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$18.13 CHF 14.63

-59.02%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.90 CHF 4.76

-72.03%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$5.73 CHF 4.62

-80.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$5.09 CHF 4.11

-84.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$9.74 CHF 7.86

-82.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$8.42 CHF 6.79

-62.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.16 CHF 1.74

-49.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.84 CHF 3.10

-67.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$4.50 CHF 3.63

-69.33%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$7.33 CHF 5.91

-70.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$26.83 CHF 21.65

-83.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$32.77 CHF 26.44

-82.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$43.68 CHF 35.25

-79.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.57 CHF 2.88

-35.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.51 CHF 2.03

-57.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.94 CHF 2.37

-48.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$6.36 CHF 5.13

-78.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.59 CHF 2.09

-56.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.45 CHF 1.97

-52.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.47 CHF 2.00

-63.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.34 CHF 1.08

-32.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$11.12 CHF 8.97

-79.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$12.29 CHF 9.92

-1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-48.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.04 CHF 2.45

-18.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$3.99 CHF 3.22

-78.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$98.0 CHF 79.1

-57.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$7.57 CHF 6.11

-81.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.64 CHF 2.94

-46.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$63.6 CHF 51.3

-87.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.15 CHF 1.73

-53.95%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$40.3K CHF 32.5K

-56.27%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$44.6K CHF 36.0K

-39.85%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$264 CHF 213

-68.54%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$48.49 CHF 39.13

-80.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$60.6 CHF 48.93

-61.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$89.5 CHF 72.3

-71.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$51.1 CHF 41.25

-62.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$22.89 CHF 18.47

-82.74%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$2,550 CHF 2,058

-87.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$33.4K CHF 27.0K

-82.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$135 CHF 109

-55.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$80.8 CHF 65.2

-60.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$164 CHF 132

-37.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$212 CHF 171

-49.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,706 CHF 1,376

-72.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,482 CHF 1,196

-74.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,853 CHF 2,303

-70.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$2,475 CHF 1,998

-70.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$16.6K CHF 13.4K

-80.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$13.3K CHF 10.7K

-89.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.46

445.93%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Vernier: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $1,706 in Vernier. 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 $146 in Vernier. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $640 – 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 Vernier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vernier 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $5,270 in Vernier. 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 $146 in Vernier. 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 $3,513 in Vernier. 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 Vernier at $3,513. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vernier 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, Vernier makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.