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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,482 per month in Meilen vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,449 per month in Meilen vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,416 per month in Meilen vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Meilen costs about 247% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Meilen sits 162% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.45 CHF 24.58

$5.91 COP 18.6K

415.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 117

$32.96 COP 103.8K

341.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.82 CHF 15.19

$7.43 COP 23.4K

153.30%

Cappuccino

$6.46 CHF 5.21

$1.65 COP 5,207

291.52%

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

$6.03 CHF 4.86

$1.10 COP 3,468

448.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CHF 4.15

$0.78 COP 2,458

558.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.76 CHF 7.07

$1.72 COP 5,412

409.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 CHF 5.99

$3.18 COP 10.0K

133.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$1.10 COP 3,474

98.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CHF 2.72

$1.26 COP 3,962

168.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 CHF 3.20

$1.38 COP 4,349

187.68%

Eggs

$7.44 CHF 6.01

$2.18 COP 6,858

241.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.03 CHF 23.43

$4.49 COP 14.1K

546.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.05 CHF 26.67

$5.79 COP 18.2K

470.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.7 CHF 40.94

$8.97 COP 28.2K

465.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.26

$2.32 COP 7,308

74.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.95

$1.06 COP 3,352

128.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 CHF 2.50

$1.52 COP 4,774

103.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 CHF 4.01

$1.36 COP 4,270

265.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$1.13 COP 3,552

132.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$1.17 COP 3,689

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.07

$0.90 COP 2,838

184.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$0.90 COP 2,823

27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.25 CHF 9.08

$2.23 COP 7,034

404.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 CHF 10.58

$12.12 COP 38.2K

8.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$1.19 COP 3,743

84.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.85

$2.48 COP 7,815

-7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.25

$0.85 COP 2,687

374.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 CHF 79.8

$41.62 COP 131.0K

137.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 CHF 5.33

$1.42 COP 4,459

365.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.16 CHF 3.35

$1.95 COP 6,141

113.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.5 CHF 64.2

$7.89 COP 24.8K

907.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$0.99 COP 3,118

123.23%

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

$40.2K CHF 32.4K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

128.32%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.8K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

46.82%

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

$251 CHF 202

$83.0 COP 261.4K

202.25%

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

$60.4 CHF 48.72

$9.70 COP 30.5K

522.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 CHF 48.02

$23.52 COP 74.1K

152.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 CHF 69.8

$25.26 COP 79.5K

242.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.78 CHF 37.75

$19.10 COP 60.1K

144.92%

Cinema Ticket

$26.94 CHF 21.74

$3.95 COP 12.4K

582.03%

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

$2,850 CHF 2,300

$316 COP 994.2K

802.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K CHF 32.3K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

570.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$60.0 COP 188.9K

133.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 CHF 48.96

$31.82 COP 100.2K

90.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 120

$102 COP 320.1K

45.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 CHF 162

$107 COP 338.3K

87.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 CHF 1,355

$475 COP 1.5M

253.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 CHF 1,205

$374 COP 1.2M

299.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 CHF 2,309

$849 COP 2.7M

237.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 CHF 1,996

$719 COP 2.3M

243.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

347.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 9,986

$1,441 COP 4.5M

758.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,239 CHF 6,649

$624 COP 2.0M

1219.36%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,679 in Meilen versus $475 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 1219% 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 $146 in Meilen versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $656 vs $193 – 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 247%, 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 $5,223 per month in Meilen and $1,504 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 $146 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 $3,482 in Meilen and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Meilen at $3,482. 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.