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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $4,420 in Zug, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $7,343 in Zug, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $10.3K in Zug, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Zug is 230% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$32.21 CHF 25.65

-81.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$168 CHF 134

-80.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$19.47 CHF 15.50

-63.59%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,154

$7.10 CHF 5.65

-75.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,949

$5.86 CHF 4.67

-81.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,798

$5.58 CHF 4.45

-86.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,035

$10.45 CHF 8.32

-83.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$7.50 CHF 5.97

-59.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,930

$2.26 CHF 1.80

-51.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,536

$4.05 CHF 3.23

-68.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,953

$5.19 CHF 4.14

-73.41%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,876

$8.03 CHF 6.40

-72.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$29.12 CHF 23.19

-84.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$35.71 CHF 28.45

-84.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$43.38 CHF 34.56

-79.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,401

$3.67 CHF 2.92

-36.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,801

$2.07 CHF 1.65

-48.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,408

$2.77 CHF 2.20

-45.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$7.15 CHF 5.69

-80.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,137

$2.25 CHF 1.80

-48.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,181

$2.44 CHF 1.94

-52.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,202

$2.52 CHF 2.01

-64.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$1.67 CHF 1.33

-49.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,196

$10.50 CHF 8.36

-78.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.2K

$19.13 CHF 15.24

-44.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,311

$3.96 CHF 3.16

-69.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,880

$4.22 CHF 3.36

-41.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,075

$4.98 CHF 3.97

-82.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$97.8 CHF 77.9

-57.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,297

$8.70 CHF 6.93

-83.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,053

$5.50 CHF 4.38

-64.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$86.7 CHF 69.1

-91.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,430

$2.15 CHF 1.71

-55.81%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$40.5K CHF 32.3K

-55.22%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$42.0K CHF 33.4K

-36.88%

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

$82.3 COP 295.6K

$291 CHF 232

-71.73%

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

$9.50 COP 34.1K

$68.7 CHF 54.7

-86.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$59.6 CHF 47.47

-59.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$139 CHF 110

-81.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$33.22 CHF 26.46

-42.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$23.72 CHF 18.90

-83.43%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$3,950 CHF 3,146

-92.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$40.4K CHF 32.1K

-85.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$110 CHF 87.9

-46.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.2K

$53.5 CHF 42.63

-39.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.7K

$155 CHF 124

-33.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$184 CHF 147

-41.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$2,784 CHF 2,218

-82.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$2,229 CHF 1,775

-83.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$6,460 CHF 5,145

-87.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$4,912 CHF 3,912

-85.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$32.1K CHF 25.5K

-91.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$22.1K CHF 17.6K

-94.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$7,801 CHF 6,213

-93.44%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zug: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $2,784 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 1424% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $168 in Zug. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $698 – 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $6,630 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 $168 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $4,420 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 $1,013, than in Zug at $4,420. 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.