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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,456 per month in Meilen vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,967 per month in Meilen vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,477 per month in Meilen vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Meilen costs about 106% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Meilen and Medellin sit above the global median – Meilen by 153%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.64 CHF 25.29

$8.02 COP 25.0K

282.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 100

$47.87 COP 149.4K

154.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.67 CHF 13.76

$9.89 COP 30.8K

68.55%

Cappuccino

$6.26 CHF 5.17

$3.13 COP 9,767

100.00%

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

$5.55 CHF 4.58

$1.91 COP 5,954

190.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 CHF 4.16

$1.51 COP 4,712

233.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.43 CHF 6.96

$3.12 COP 9,747

170.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.54 CHF 7.05

$5.75 COP 17.9K

48.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.84

$1.44 COP 4,509

54.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 CHF 2.92

$2.49 COP 7,759

42.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.33

$1.77 COP 5,535

128.25%

Eggs

$7.97 CHF 6.57

$2.96 COP 9,235

169.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.40 CHF 22.62

$10.07 COP 31.4K

172.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.64 CHF 21.99

$10.12 COP 31.6K

163.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.75 CHF 34.46

$14.30 COP 44.6K

191.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 3.02

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-11.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.71

$1.61 COP 5,019

29.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 CHF 2.20

$2.25 COP 7,007

18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CHF 4.01

$2.25 COP 7,028

116.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.73

$2.04 COP 6,375

2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$1.54 COP 4,790

43.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CHF 1.96

$1.17 COP 3,651

103.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.06

$1.31 COP 4,077

-1.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 CHF 9.16

$3.90 COP 12.2K

184.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 CHF 11.05

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-4.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$1.74 COP 5,439

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CHF 2.34

$2.87 COP 8,956

-1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 CHF 3.79

$1.22 COP 3,792

276.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 CHF 84.2

$80.5 COP 251.1K

26.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 CHF 6.58

$1.31 COP 4,084

508.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.74 CHF 3.91

$2.19 COP 6,825

116.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.0 CHF 72.7

$8.71 COP 27.2K

910.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.81

$1.37 COP 4,260

59.85%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

42.84%

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

$40.5K CHF 33.5K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

13.33%

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

$240 CHF 198

$177 COP 553.2K

35.24%

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

$39.33 CHF 32.46

$13.88 COP 43.3K

183.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 CHF 54.5

$29.72 COP 92.8K

121.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.6 CHF 76.4

$44.88 COP 140.1K

106.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.24 CHF 38.17

$17.12 COP 53.4K

170.09%

Cinema Ticket

$22.49 CHF 18.56

$6.65 COP 20.7K

238.20%

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

$2,882 CHF 2,379

$813 COP 2.5M

254.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.1K CHF 36.4K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

380.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 115

$89.5 COP 279.3K

56.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 CHF 49.80

$59.0 COP 184.0K

2.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 124

$138 COP 431.2K

8.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 CHF 143

$102 COP 318.7K

69.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 CHF 1,462

$1,062 COP 3.3M

66.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 CHF 1,232

$663 COP 2.1M

125.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,847 CHF 2,350

$1,888 COP 5.9M

50.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,086 CHF 3,373

$1,027 COP 3.2M

297.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.1K CHF 13.3K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

284.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 10.2K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

634.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,471 CHF 6,992

$678 COP 2.1M

1149.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

10.94

-84.28%

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

Last update for Meilen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,772 in Meilen versus $1,062 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 1150% 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 $122 in Meilen versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $591 vs $305 – 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 106%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,184 per month in Meilen and $2,521 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 $122 in Meilen and $48.00 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 $3,456 in Meilen and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Meilen at $3,456. 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.