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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $5,583 in Zug, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $8,037 in Zug, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $10.5K in Zug, rent included.

Medellin is about 71% cheaper than Zug, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Zug sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Zug by 305%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.0K

$35.57 CHF 28.78

-77.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.9K

$174 CHF 141

-72.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.3K

$25.16 CHF 20.36

-62.56%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,120

$7.27 CHF 5.88

-59.56%

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

$1.86 COP 5,786

$6.28 CHF 5.08

-70.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,519

$6.32 CHF 5.11

-76.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,969

$9.76 CHF 7.90

-67.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$7.63 CHF 6.17

-25.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,467

$2.20 CHF 1.78

-34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,454

$4.03 CHF 3.26

-40.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,274

$4.23 CHF 3.42

-59.81%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,975

$7.94 CHF 6.43

-63.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$27.78 CHF 22.48

-63.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.0K

$31.47 CHF 25.46

-68.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.1K

$42.93 CHF 34.74

-66.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$3.69 CHF 2.98

7.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,921

$2.07 CHF 1.67

-23.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,682

$2.87 CHF 2.32

-25.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,141

$5.66 CHF 4.58

-59.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,223

$2.01 CHF 1.62

-0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,687

$2.25 CHF 1.82

-32.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,734

$2.45 CHF 1.98

-51.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,981

$1.36 CHF 1.10

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$10.94 CHF 8.85

-64.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$18.76 CHF 15.18

-25.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,302

$2.93 CHF 2.37

-41.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,515

$3.95 CHF 3.20

-30.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,868

$5.58 CHF 4.52

-77.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.9K

$165 CHF 134

-52.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,052

$9.33 CHF 7.55

-85.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,739

$6.29 CHF 5.09

-65.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,209

$2.34 CHF 1.89

-41.88%

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

$27.5K COP 85.3M

$42.8K CHF 34.7K

-35.88%

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

$36.5K COP 113.4M

$39.9K CHF 32.3K

-8.36%

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

$169 COP 523.8K

$231 CHF 187

-26.96%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$41.07 CHF 33.23

-66.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.9K

$64.6 CHF 52.3

-56.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.9K

$123 CHF 99.2

-62.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

$32.97 CHF 26.67

-47.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$24.20 CHF 19.58

-72.52%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$4,324 CHF 3,499

-81.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$36.5K CHF 29.5K

-74.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.2K

$166 CHF 134

-47.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.3K

$71.0 CHF 57.4

-16.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.3K

$195 CHF 158

-28.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.8K

$280 CHF 226

-63.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$3,893 CHF 3,150

-72.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$3,200 CHF 2,590

-79.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$7,158 CHF 5,792

-73.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$5,165 CHF 4,179

-79.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$31.8K CHF 25.8K

-87.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$21.5K CHF 17.4K

-92.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$7,354 CHF 5,950

-91.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.9

475.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Zug: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $3,893 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 1023% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $174 in Zug. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $648 – 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 240%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $8,375 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $174 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $5,583 in Zug. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Zug at $5,583. 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.