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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,169 per month in Olten vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,940 per month in Olten vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,712 per month in Olten vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Olten costs about 85% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Olten and Medellin sit above the global median – Olten by 131%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$34.18 CHF 27.65

$8.03 COP 25.1K

325.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 CHF 99.9

$48.26 COP 150.8K

155.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.95 CHF 14.52

$9.77 COP 30.5K

83.73%

Cappuccino

$6.59 CHF 5.33

$2.91 COP 9,095

126.46%

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

$5.56 CHF 4.50

$1.94 COP 6,074

186.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 CHF 4.46

$1.52 COP 4,754

263.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.34 CHF 7.56

$3.09 COP 9,663

202.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CHF 6.12

$5.74 COP 17.9K

31.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.83

$1.36 COP 4,262

66.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 CHF 3.22

$2.39 COP 7,460

66.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CHF 3.15

$1.70 COP 5,314

128.82%

Eggs

$8.76 CHF 7.09

$2.87 COP 8,967

205.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.96 CHF 21.00

$9.94 COP 31.1K

161.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.37 CHF 22.14

$10.78 COP 33.7K

153.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.48 CHF 38.42

$14.73 COP 46.0K

222.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 CHF 3.44

$4.09 COP 12.8K

3.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.29

$1.57 COP 4,911

80.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CHF 2.48

$2.13 COP 6,642

44.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CHF 3.93

$2.21 COP 6,917

119.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CHF 2.17

$2.05 COP 6,396

30.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.50 COP 4,700

48.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$1.19 COP 3,718

109.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 CHF 1.05

$1.16 COP 3,619

12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.95

$3.90 COP 12.2K

183.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 CHF 11.12

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.22

$1.58 COP 4,948

73.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CHF 2.55

$2.83 COP 8,836

11.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.41 CHF 4.37

$1.17 COP 3,650

362.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 88.6

$77.7 COP 242.9K

40.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 CHF 6.67

$1.28 COP 4,014

543.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.80 CHF 3.88

$2.09 COP 6,537

129.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$90.3 CHF 73.0

$8.62 COP 26.9K

947.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.85

$1.30 COP 4,056

75.38%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

46.89%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.3K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

12.33%

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

$287 CHF 233

$176 COP 550.1K

63.25%

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

$34.09 CHF 27.58

$13.37 COP 41.8K

154.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.15 CHF 39.76

$29.89 COP 93.4K

64.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.9 CHF 67.1

$44.76 COP 139.8K

85.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$21.24 CHF 17.18

$6.20 COP 19.4K

242.58%

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

$3,643 CHF 2,947

$793 COP 2.5M

359.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

374.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$143 CHF 115

$85.6 COP 267.5K

66.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 CHF 48.88

$58.5 COP 182.7K

3.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$168 CHF 136

$136 COP 425.9K

22.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$219 CHF 178

$103 COP 322.2K

112.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CHF 1,020

$1,060 COP 3.3M

18.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 CHF 856

$680 COP 2.1M

55.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 CHF 1,605

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-1.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,954 CHF 1,581

$1,169 COP 3.7M

67.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,404 CHF 3,563

$665 COP 2.1M

562.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

10.94

-81.08%

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

Last update for Olten: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Olten 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 562% 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 $123 in Olten versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $631 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

Olten vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Olten is pricier by about 85%, 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 $4,754 per month in Olten 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 $123 in Olten 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 $3,169 in Olten 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 Olten at $3,169. 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.