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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,973 per month in Olten vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,526 per month in Olten vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,078 per month in Olten vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Olten costs about 188% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Olten sits 123% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.25 CHF 25.31

$6.16 COP 20.1K

407.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 CHF 83.2

$32.60 COP 106.1K

215.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.04 CHF 13.81

$7.34 COP 23.9K

132.15%

Cappuccino

$5.51 CHF 4.46

$1.72 COP 5,599

220.35%

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

$5.20 CHF 4.21

$1.05 COP 3,420

395.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 CHF 3.65

$0.77 COP 2,515

485.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 CHF 5.89

$1.69 COP 5,487

330.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 CHF 5.07

$3.17 COP 10.3K

97.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CHF 1.67

$1.05 COP 3,423

97.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$1.30 COP 4,236

163.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.30

$1.40 COP 4,544

191.43%

Eggs

$7.52 CHF 6.09

$2.16 COP 7,046

248.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.94 CHF 17.77

$4.39 COP 14.3K

399.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.36 CHF 20.54

$5.88 COP 19.1K

331.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.38 CHF 32.70

$8.64 COP 28.1K

367.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.42

$2.28 COP 7,425

85.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$1.11 COP 3,603

127.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 CHF 2.46

$1.53 COP 4,982

98.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 CHF 4.08

$1.35 COP 4,410

273.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CHF 2.21

$1.13 COP 3,674

141.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.86

$1.13 COP 3,692

103.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.07

$0.85 COP 2,753

201.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CHF 1.21

$0.91 COP 2,975

63.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.92

$2.34 COP 7,629

370.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.29 CHF 10.76

$12.37 COP 40.3K

7.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CHF 1.67

$1.20 COP 3,909

72.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$2.49 COP 8,104

-2.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.86 CHF 3.13

$0.84 COP 2,727

359.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.2 CHF 79.6

$40.57 COP 132.1K

142.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 CHF 6.27

$1.42 COP 4,623

445.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.21 CHF 3.41

$1.92 COP 6,235

119.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 CHF 50.8

$7.66 COP 24.9K

718.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$0.99 COP 3,223

126.26%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

120.32%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

50.09%

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

$254 CHF 206

$80.8 COP 263.1K

214.66%

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

$33.62 CHF 27.24

$9.95 COP 32.4K

237.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 47.04

$24.18 COP 78.7K

140.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 CHF 50.5

$25.08 COP 81.6K

148.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CHF 15.21

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-1.98%

Cinema Ticket

$25.09 CHF 20.32

$3.98 COP 13.0K

530.40%

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

$3,456 CHF 2,799

$305 COP 993.4K

1032.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

554.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 113

$58.1 COP 189.2K

139.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 CHF 49.15

$32.20 COP 104.8K

88.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 118

$101 COP 327.9K

45.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 160

$108 COP 350.8K

83.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CHF 1,017

$477 COP 1.6M

163.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 CHF 849

$376 COP 1.2M

178.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 CHF 1,585

$845 COP 2.7M

131.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 CHF 1,374

$730 COP 2.4M

132.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

353.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

806.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 CHF 3,406

$617 COP 2.0M

581.80%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,256 in Olten versus $477 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 582% 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 $103 in Olten versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $571 vs $193 – 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 188%, 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 $4,460 per month in Olten and $1,546 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 $103 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 $2,973 in Olten and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Olten at $2,973. 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.