Cost of Living Comparison Between Olten and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Olten and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,941 per month in Olten vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,458 per month in Olten vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,975 per month in Olten vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Olten costs about 190% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Olten sits 119% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.87 CHF 24.36

$5.99 COP 21.3K

415.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 CHF 82.9

$32.86 COP 116.9K

219.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.57 CHF 13.86

$7.09 COP 25.2K

147.81%

Cappuccino

$5.47 CHF 4.31

$1.71 COP 6,093

219.88%

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

$5.34 CHF 4.22

$1.10 COP 3,910

385.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 CHF 3.65

$0.78 COP 2,771

492.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 CHF 5.43

$1.68 COP 5,976

309.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 CHF 4.97

$3.07 COP 10.9K

104.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CHF 1.65

$1.09 COP 3,892

91.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CHF 2.68

$1.26 COP 4,492

169.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.26

$1.38 COP 4,905

198.55%

Eggs

$7.54 CHF 5.95

$2.19 COP 7,799

244.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.64 CHF 17.07

$4.40 COP 15.7K

391.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.89 CHF 20.43

$5.63 COP 20.0K

359.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.22 CHF 31.74

$8.89 COP 31.6K

352.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.19

$2.34 COP 8,319

72.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$1.06 COP 3,764

126.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.35

$1.50 COP 5,355

98.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 CHF 3.99

$1.38 COP 4,906

265.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.17

$1.15 COP 4,097

139.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 CHF 1.87

$1.16 COP 4,141

104.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$0.89 COP 3,170

176.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CHF 1.20

$0.84 COP 2,986

80.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 CHF 8.64

$2.28 COP 8,116

380.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 CHF 12.17

$10.64 COP 37.9K

44.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$1.20 COP 4,268

79.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.91

$2.47 COP 8,793

-2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 CHF 3.10

$0.86 COP 3,045

356.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 79.0

$41.40 COP 147.3K

141.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 CHF 5.94

$1.47 COP 5,245

412.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.27

$1.96 COP 6,984

111.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 CHF 48.53

$7.74 COP 27.5K

694.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.80

$0.95 COP 3,397

140.00%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.1K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

124.25%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

48.43%

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

$260 CHF 205

$82.3 COP 292.7K

216.29%

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

$33.65 CHF 26.56

$9.50 COP 33.8K

254.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 45.54

$24.23 COP 86.2K

138.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 CHF 48.36

$25.89 COP 92.1K

136.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.65 CHF 14.72

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-1.84%

Cinema Ticket

$24.88 CHF 19.64

$3.93 COP 14.0K

533.08%

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

$3,433 CHF 2,709

$309 COP 1.1M

1009.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

568.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 111

$58.7 COP 208.7K

139.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 CHF 48.33

$32.35 COP 115.1K

89.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 118

$103 COP 365.1K

45.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 156

$108 COP 385.8K

82.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 CHF 985

$476 COP 1.7M

162.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 CHF 839

$379 COP 1.3M

180.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CHF 1,568

$838 COP 3.0M

136.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 CHF 1,348

$724 COP 2.6M

135.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,351 CHF 3,433

$512 COP 1.8M

750.09%

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 Olten: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,248 in Olten versus $476 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 750% higher in Olten, 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 $105 in Olten versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $576 vs $188 – 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

Olten vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Olten is pricier by about 190%, 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 $4,411 per month in Olten and $1,519 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 $105 in Olten 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 $2,941 in Olten and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Olten at $2,941. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Olten 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, Olten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.