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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $3,571 in Vernier, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $5,530 in Vernier, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $7,489 in Vernier, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Vernier is 168% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$36.50 CHF 28.95

-83.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$145 CHF 115

-77.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$18.83 CHF 14.94

-60.59%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$5.76 CHF 4.57

-71.35%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$5.59 CHF 4.44

-80.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$5.24 CHF 4.16

-85.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$9.61 CHF 7.62

-82.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$8.55 CHF 6.78

-62.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.16 CHF 1.71

-51.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$3.76 CHF 2.98

-65.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$4.48 CHF 3.55

-70.09%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$7.35 CHF 5.83

-70.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$27.18 CHF 21.56

-83.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$32.59 CHF 25.85

-82.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$44.67 CHF 35.42

-80.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.49 CHF 2.77

-32.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.50 CHF 1.98

-55.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.97 CHF 2.36

-48.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$6.46 CHF 5.12

-78.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.56 CHF 2.03

-55.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.40 CHF 1.91

-50.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.62 CHF 2.07

-67.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.36 CHF 1.08

-36.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$10.90 CHF 8.64

-79.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$12.77 CHF 10.13

-9.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.43 CHF 1.92

-50.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$3.01 CHF 2.39

-17.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$3.99 CHF 3.17

-80.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$98.4 CHF 78.0

-58.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$7.49 CHF 5.94

-80.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$3.60 CHF 2.86

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$65.9 CHF 52.3

-88.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$2.13 CHF 1.69

-52.58%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

-56.84%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$45.5K CHF 36.1K

-41.91%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$262 CHF 208

-69.07%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$47.66 CHF 37.80

-80.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$59.3 CHF 46.99

-59.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$87.7 CHF 69.5

-70.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$22.74 CHF 18.04

-82.01%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$2,603 CHF 2,065

-87.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$33.2K CHF 26.3K

-81.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$131 CHF 104

-54.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$81.7 CHF 64.8

-60.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$164 CHF 130

-38.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$214 CHF 170

-50.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,710 CHF 1,356

-71.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,472 CHF 1,167

-75.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,836 CHF 2,249

-70.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$2,481 CHF 1,968

-70.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$15.2K CHF 12.1K

-80.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$13.2K CHF 10.4K

-90.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Vernier: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $1,710 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 $145 in Vernier. 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 Vernier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vernier is pricier by about 247%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $5,356 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 $145 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $3,571 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 $1,028, than in Vernier at $3,571. 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.