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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,525 per month in Meilen vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,499 per month in Meilen vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,473 per month in Meilen vs $2,188 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 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.08 CHF 24.67

$5.95 COP 20.8K

422.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 115

$33.33 COP 116.3K

335.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.50 CHF 14.69

$7.23 COP 25.2K

155.88%

Cappuccino

$6.37 CHF 5.06

$1.63 COP 5,687

290.80%

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

$5.87 CHF 4.66

$1.09 COP 3,821

438.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 CHF 4.07

$0.73 COP 2,548

602.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.38 CHF 6.65

$1.74 COP 6,065

381.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 CHF 5.77

$3.23 COP 11.3K

125.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CHF 1.83

$1.05 COP 3,662

120.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.61

$1.29 COP 4,515

155.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.05 CHF 3.21

$1.32 COP 4,617

206.82%

Eggs

$7.53 CHF 5.98

$2.27 COP 7,927

231.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.71 CHF 23.58

$4.35 COP 15.2K

582.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.41 CHF 26.52

$5.88 COP 20.5K

468.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 40.01

$8.61 COP 30.0K

485.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$2.25 COP 7,844

88.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.91

$1.07 COP 3,733

125.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.37

$1.52 COP 5,322

96.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 CHF 4.11

$1.42 COP 4,964

264.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$1.17 COP 4,084

114.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.17 COP 4,077

91.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$0.89 COP 3,096

182.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CHF 0.90

$0.90 COP 3,146

25.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.74

$2.25 COP 7,837

389.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CHF 12.12

$11.04 COP 38.5K

38.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$1.14 COP 3,977

89.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.82

$2.38 COP 8,301

-3.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 CHF 3.04

$0.84 COP 2,916

355.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 CHF 76.8

$41.95 COP 146.4K

130.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 CHF 5.26

$1.41 COP 4,912

370.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.26

$1.90 COP 6,634

116.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.5 CHF 64.7

$7.75 COP 27.0K

951.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.01 COP 3,509

121.78%

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

$39.6K CHF 31.4K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

125.32%

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

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

46.90%

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

$256 CHF 203

$83.7 COP 292.1K

205.57%

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

$58.4 CHF 46.34

$9.45 COP 33.0K

517.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 CHF 46.71

$24.11 COP 84.1K

144.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.5

$25.31 COP 88.3K

251.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.7 CHF 51.4

$19.14 COP 66.8K

238.04%

Cinema Ticket

$27.31 CHF 21.68

$4.10 COP 14.3K

566.10%

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

$2,795 CHF 2,219

$312 COP 1.1M

795.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K CHF 31.8K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

568.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$58.0 COP 202.6K

141.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 CHF 48.92

$32.56 COP 113.6K

89.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 116

$99.6 COP 347.7K

47.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 CHF 163

$109 COP 378.8K

89.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 CHF 1,372

$482 COP 1.7M

258.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 CHF 1,165

$379 COP 1.3M

286.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,884 CHF 2,290

$837 COP 2.9M

244.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CHF 1,957

$723 COP 2.5M

240.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$24.8K CHF 19.7K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

774.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,462

$1,223 COP 4.3M

874.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,694 CHF 6,902

$541 COP 1.9M

1507.49%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,728 in Meilen versus $482 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 1507% 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 $145 in Meilen versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $665 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 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 $5,287 per month in Meilen and $1,525 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 $145 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 $3,525 in Meilen and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Meilen at $3,525. 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.