Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zug Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zug

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $4,487 in Zug, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $7,218 in Zug, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $9,950 in Zug, rent included.

Medellin is about 77% cheaper than Zug, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Zug is 235% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$32.36 CHF 25.37

-81.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$165 CHF 130

-79.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$19.36 CHF 15.18

-62.55%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$6.99 CHF 5.48

-75.54%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$6.00 CHF 4.71

-81.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$5.44 CHF 4.27

-85.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$10.38 CHF 8.14

-83.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$7.23 CHF 5.67

-56.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$2.28 CHF 1.79

-53.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$3.87 CHF 3.04

-66.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$5.13 CHF 4.03

-73.10%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$7.91 CHF 6.20

-72.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$29.31 CHF 22.98

-84.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$36.11 CHF 28.31

-83.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$44.88 CHF 35.19

-80.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$3.82 CHF 2.99

-40.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$2.14 CHF 1.68

-50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$2.79 CHF 2.18

-45.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$7.13 CHF 5.59

-80.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$2.33 CHF 1.82

-50.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$2.46 CHF 1.93

-52.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$2.57 CHF 2.01

-67.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$1.63 CHF 1.28

-47.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$10.65 CHF 8.35

-77.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$18.87 CHF 14.80

-41.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$3.98 CHF 3.12

-71.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$4.44 CHF 3.48

-44.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$4.90 CHF 3.84

-83.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$98.7 CHF 77.4

-57.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$8.82 CHF 6.91

-83.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$5.63 CHF 4.42

-66.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$88.2 CHF 69.1

-91.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$2.14 CHF 1.68

-51.87%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$41.0K CHF 32.1K

-56.86%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$42.5K CHF 33.4K

-36.50%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$290 CHF 227

-71.94%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$67.3 CHF 52.8

-86.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$59.2 CHF 46.37

-59.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$136 CHF 107

-81.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$32.73 CHF 25.66

-40.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$23.00 CHF 18.03

-82.39%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$4,037 CHF 3,165

-92.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$39.9K CHF 31.3K

-84.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$110 CHF 85.9

-46.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$53.1 CHF 41.63

-38.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$155 CHF 122

-35.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$188 CHF 147

-43.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$2,797 CHF 2,193

-82.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$2,221 CHF 1,741

-83.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$6,587 CHF 5,164

-87.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$4,857 CHF 3,808

-85.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$32.8K CHF 25.8K

-91.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$22.9K CHF 18.0K

-93.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$7,764 CHF 6,087

-93.15%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Zug: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $2,797 in Zug. 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 1359% higher in Zug, 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 $165 in Zug. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $704 – 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 Zug: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zug is pricier by about 336%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $6,731 in Zug. 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 $165 in Zug. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $4,487 in Zug. 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 $1,030, than in Zug at $4,487. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zug 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, Zug makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.