Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,550 per month in Meilen vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,422 per month in Meilen vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,295 per month in Meilen vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Meilen costs about 243% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Meilen sits 165% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.33 CHF 24.78

$5.92 COP 21.4K

429.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 118

$32.75 COP 118.2K

356.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.66 CHF 14.76

$7.20 COP 26.0K

159.17%

Cappuccino

$6.19 CHF 4.90

$1.70 COP 6,140

264.12%

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

$6.08 CHF 4.81

$1.10 COP 3,966

452.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CHF 4.19

$0.72 COP 2,605

634.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.43 CHF 6.67

$1.67 COP 6,022

404.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CHF 5.89

$3.10 COP 11.2K

140.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$1.06 COP 3,809

116.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 CHF 2.60

$1.25 COP 4,497

162.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.26

$1.39 COP 5,022

196.40%

Eggs

$7.52 CHF 5.95

$2.26 COP 8,168

232.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.67 CHF 23.47

$4.33 COP 15.6K

585.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.85 CHF 26.77

$5.84 COP 21.1K

479.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 39.86

$8.83 COP 31.9K

470.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CHF 3.35

$2.24 COP 8,099

89.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$1.08 COP 3,882

133.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.39

$1.53 COP 5,522

97.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 CHF 4.13

$1.37 COP 4,950

281.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 1.98

$1.13 COP 4,078

121.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$1.12 COP 4,036

104.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.04

$0.85 COP 3,057

203.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.90

$0.91 COP 3,281

25.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.99 CHF 8.69

$2.33 COP 8,414

371.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 CHF 12.31

$11.13 COP 40.2K

39.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$1.19 COP 4,309

81.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$2.37 COP 8,553

-4.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.18

$0.79 COP 2,838

410.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.2 CHF 77.7

$41.13 COP 148.5K

138.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 CHF 5.43

$1.44 COP 5,184

377.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.28

$1.91 COP 6,901

116.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.9 CHF 62.4

$8.02 COP 28.9K

883.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$0.94 COP 3,385

138.30%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

128.77%

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

$39.5K CHF 31.3K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

47.55%

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

$255 CHF 201

$84.0 COP 303.1K

203.17%

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

$59.4 CHF 46.96

$9.60 COP 34.7K

518.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CHF 45.51

$24.16 COP 87.2K

138.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.3

$25.88 COP 93.4K

243.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.1 CHF 51.5

$19.04 COP 68.7K

242.12%

Cinema Ticket

$27.58 CHF 21.82

$3.92 COP 14.1K

603.57%

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

$2,847 CHF 2,252

$306 COP 1.1M

829.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.3K CHF 31.1K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

563.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 112

$57.9 COP 209.1K

144.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 CHF 49.46

$31.82 COP 114.9K

96.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 118

$99.9 COP 360.6K

49.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 159

$107 COP 386.8K

87.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CHF 1,320

$487 COP 1.8M

242.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 CHF 1,141

$368 COP 1.3M

291.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,880 CHF 2,278

$826 COP 3.0M

248.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 CHF 1,975

$716 COP 2.6M

248.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

387.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,399

$1,407 COP 5.1M

654.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,496 CHF 6,720

$546 COP 2.0M

1457.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

13.43

-84.44%

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

Last update for Meilen: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,669 in Meilen versus $487 in Medellin. 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 1457% higher in Meilen, 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 $150 in Meilen versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $669 vs $190 – 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

Meilen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Meilen is pricier by about 243%, 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 $5,325 per month in Meilen and $1,550 in Medellin. 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 $150 in Meilen and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,550 in Meilen and $1,034 in Medellin. 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 $1,034, than in Meilen at $3,550. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Meilen 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, Meilen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.