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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $4,472 in Zug, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $7,190 in Zug, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $9,908 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 235% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$31.43 CHF 25.68

-81.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$164 CHF 134

-79.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$18.87 CHF 15.42

-62.27%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,458

$6.97 CHF 5.69

-75.47%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$5.93 CHF 4.84

-82.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$5.51 CHF 4.50

-86.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$10.61 CHF 8.67

-83.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$7.50 CHF 6.12

-57.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-52.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$4.05 CHF 3.31

-67.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$5.29 CHF 4.32

-74.86%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$7.89 CHF 6.44

-71.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$28.68 CHF 23.43

-84.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$35.75 CHF 29.21

-83.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$44.93 CHF 36.71

-80.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$3.71 CHF 3.03

-36.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$2.10 CHF 1.71

-47.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$2.78 CHF 2.27

-47.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$7.36 CHF 6.02

-81.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$2.30 CHF 1.88

-49.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$2.52 CHF 2.06

-53.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$2.57 CHF 2.10

-64.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$1.67 CHF 1.36

-49.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$10.44 CHF 8.53

-77.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

$18.15 CHF 14.83

-34.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$4.15 CHF 3.39

-72.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$4.23 CHF 3.46

-42.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$4.96 CHF 4.05

-83.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

$98.9 CHF 80.8

-58.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$8.65 CHF 7.07

-83.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$5.60 CHF 4.57

-65.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$87.0 CHF 71.1

-91.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$2.19 CHF 1.79

-57.08%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$40.0K CHF 32.6K

-55.40%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

-36.13%

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

$83.3 COP 266.5K

$289 CHF 236

-71.22%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$68.3 CHF 55.8

-85.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$58.1 CHF 47.48

-58.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$136 CHF 111

-81.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$32.65 CHF 26.68

-40.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$23.59 CHF 19.27

-82.75%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$4,036 CHF 3,298

-92.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$40.6K CHF 33.2K

-85.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$107 CHF 87.1

-43.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$54.2 CHF 44.31

-39.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$154 CHF 126

-34.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$186 CHF 152

-41.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$2,771 CHF 2,264

-82.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$2,212 CHF 1,807

-82.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$6,701 CHF 5,475

-87.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$4,892 CHF 3,997

-85.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$31.2K CHF 25.5K

-89.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$21.5K CHF 17.6K

-93.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$7,558 CHF 6,175

-91.77%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Zug: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $2,771 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 1116% 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 $164 in Zug. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $702 – 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 339%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $6,708 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 $164 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 $1,018 in Medellin and $4,472 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 $1,018, than in Zug at $4,472. 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.