Cost of Living Comparison Between Neuchatel and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Neuchatel and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,358 per month in Neuchatel vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,064 per month in Neuchatel vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,770 per month in Neuchatel vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Neuchatel costs about 96% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Neuchatel and Medellin sit above the global median – Neuchatel by 144%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.86 CHF 22.65

$8.03 COP 25.3K

246.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 CHF 96.6

$48.26 COP 152.0K

146.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.68 CHF 15.19

$9.77 COP 30.8K

91.20%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.14

$2.91 COP 9,167

117.18%

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

$4.20 CHF 3.41

$1.94 COP 6,122

116.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 CHF 2.88

$1.52 COP 4,792

132.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.06 CHF 7.37

$3.09 COP 9,740

193.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 CHF 5.95

$5.74 COP 18.1K

27.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$1.36 COP 4,296

58.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 CHF 2.59

$2.39 COP 7,519

33.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 CHF 2.66

$1.70 COP 5,356

92.35%

Eggs

$7.04 CHF 5.72

$2.87 COP 9,038

145.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.66 CHF 21.67

$9.94 COP 31.3K

168.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.30 CHF 23.01

$10.78 COP 34.0K

162.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.17 CHF 33.47

$14.73 COP 46.4K

179.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 CHF 2.63

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-21.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.83

$1.57 COP 4,950

43.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.45

$2.13 COP 6,695

41.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 CHF 3.86

$2.21 COP 6,972

114.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 CHF 1.44

$2.05 COP 6,447

-13.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.65

$1.50 COP 4,737

35.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$1.19 COP 3,747

93.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.05

$1.16 COP 3,647

11.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.91

$3.90 COP 12.3K

181.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 CHF 9.90

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-15.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

$1.58 COP 4,987

46.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.91

$2.83 COP 8,905

-16.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 CHF 2.47

$1.17 COP 3,679

159.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.7 CHF 77.0

$77.7 COP 244.8K

21.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 CHF 6.72

$1.28 COP 4,045

546.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.28 CHF 3.48

$2.09 COP 6,589

104.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.6 CHF 63.9

$8.62 COP 27.1K

812.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.90

$1.30 COP 4,088

79.23%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.4K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

48.49%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.3K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

11.87%

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

$286 CHF 232

$176 COP 554.5K

62.35%

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

$54.8 CHF 44.55

$13.37 COP 42.1K

309.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.54 CHF 29.71

$29.89 COP 94.1K

22.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.6 CHF 73.6

$44.76 COP 141.0K

102.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.23 CHF 35.15

$17.06 COP 53.7K

153.40%

Cinema Ticket

$21.86 CHF 17.77

$6.20 COP 19.5K

252.58%

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

$2,579 CHF 2,097

$793 COP 2.5M

225.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.9K CHF 21.9K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

198.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 CHF 92.1

$85.6 COP 269.6K

32.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 CHF 47.95

$58.5 COP 184.1K

0.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 CHF 126

$136 COP 429.3K

13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 CHF 122

$103 COP 324.7K

45.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 CHF 1,403

$1,060 COP 3.3M

62.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 CHF 1,179

$680 COP 2.1M

113.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,656 CHF 2,159

$2,012 COP 6.3M

31.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,413 CHF 1,962

$1,169 COP 3.7M

106.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.2K CHF 17.2K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

415.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.4K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

725.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,398 CHF 6,015

$665 COP 2.1M

1012.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.87

10.94

-82.91%

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

Last update for Neuchatel: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,725 in Neuchatel versus $1,060 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 1012% higher in Neuchatel, 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 $119 in Neuchatel versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $580 vs $303 – 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

Neuchatel vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Neuchatel is pricier by about 96%, 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 $5,038 per month in Neuchatel and $2,574 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 $119 in Neuchatel 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 $3,358 in Neuchatel and $1,716 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 $1,716, than in Neuchatel at $3,358. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Neuchatel 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, Neuchatel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.