Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zurich

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,589 a month against $4,519 in Zurich, rent and utilities included – about $35,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index
218

Cost of Living Index in Zurich
Learn more

Zurich Living Index

Jump to prices

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Zurich

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$4,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Zurich

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Zurich actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $4,519 in Zurich, rent included.

Medellin $1,589
Zurich $4,519

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $6,911 in Zurich, rent included.

Medellin $2,364
Zurich $6,911

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $9,303 in Zurich, rent included.

Medellin $3,139
Zurich $9,303

Medellin is about 65% cheaper than Zurich, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Zurich sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Zurich by 237%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.5K

$34.88 CHF 28.95

-77.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 148.3K

$146 CHF 121

-68.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.1K

$18.34 CHF 15.22

-48.58%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,277

$6.94 CHF 5.76

-58.07%

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

$1.75 COP 5,585

$5.94 CHF 4.93

-70.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,218

$5.27 CHF 4.38

-74.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 9,969

$9.91 CHF 8.22

-68.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.7K

$8.48 CHF 7.04

-34.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,495

$2.10 CHF 1.74

-32.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,777

$3.82 CHF 3.17

-36.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,191

$3.74 CHF 3.11

-56.42%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 8,990

$8.49 CHF 7.04

-66.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 30.9K

$26.67 CHF 22.14

-63.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.7K

$28.17 CHF 23.38

-66.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 42.9K

$60.8 CHF 50.4

-77.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$4.20 CHF 3.48

-4.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,719

$2.68 CHF 2.22

-44.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,768

$3.39 CHF 2.81

-37.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,178

$4.46 CHF 3.70

-49.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,092

$2.57 CHF 2.13

-25.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,160

$2.22 CHF 1.85

-27.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,658

$2.51 CHF 2.09

-54.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,021

$1.25 CHF 1.04

0.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$10.91 CHF 9.06

-64.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 41.8K

$13.90 CHF 11.54

-5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,083

$2.77 CHF 2.30

-42.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,188

$3.07 CHF 2.55

-26.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,731

$5.59 CHF 4.64

-79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 239.0K

$105 CHF 87.4

-28.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,056

$7.94 CHF 6.59

-84.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,531

$4.64 CHF 3.85

-55.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.1K

$89.7 CHF 74.4

-90.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,046

$2.33 CHF 1.93

-45.49%

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

$26.8K COP 85.3M

$39.9K CHF 33.1K

-32.86%

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

$34.4K COP 109.6M

$39.1K CHF 32.5K

-12.02%

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

$162 COP 516.9K

$275 CHF 228

-40.97%

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

$13.12 COP 41.8K

$36.64 CHF 30.41

-64.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 89.5K

$55.5 CHF 46.07

-49.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 141.2K

$90.7 CHF 75.3

-51.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.0K

$62.1 CHF 51.6

-73.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.4K

$24.25 CHF 20.13

-74.89%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

$3,617 CHF 3,002

-78.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.4M

$42.7K CHF 35.5K

-79.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 270.8K

$140 CHF 117

-39.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 183.2K

$58.9 CHF 48.92

-2.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 419.8K

$166 CHF 138

-20.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 305.1K

$251 CHF 208

-61.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$2,960 CHF 2,457

-65.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$2,296 CHF 1,906

-73.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.7M

$6,003 CHF 4,982

-69.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$4,217 CHF 3,500

-76.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.5M

$27.7K CHF 23.0K

-85.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$16.1K CHF 13.3K

-89.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$8,005 CHF 6,644

-92.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.07

428.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Zurich: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$604 38.3%

Zurich

$2.3K 51.8% 280% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$288 18.3%

Zurich

$669 15.1% 132% $381

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$203 12.9%

Zurich

$367 8.3% 80.4% $164

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Zurich

$277 6.3% 66.7% $111

Eating Out

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Zurich

$529 11.9% 218% $362

Getting Around

Medellin

$91 5.8%

Zurich

$159 3.6% 74.2% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.6%

Zurich

$139 3.1% 146% $83

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $2,960 in Zurich. 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 1178% higher in Zurich, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $146 in Zurich. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $669 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇭 Zurich

🕒 Local time

05:33 5:33 AM

12:33 12:33 PM

7 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

443,037

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

1 CHF = 1.2 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,571 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.83 CHF (1 CHF = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 0.93 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Medellin Zurich 9,050 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Zurich

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zurich is pricier by about 184%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $6,779 in Zurich. 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $146 in Zurich. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,589 in Medellin and $4,519 in Zurich. That's a gap of about 184%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Zurich at $4,519. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zurich 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, Zurich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.