Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sion and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $3,235 in Sion, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Sion
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,235
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sion and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sion and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,235 per month in Sion vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sion $3,235
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $4,857 per month in Sion vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sion $4,857
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $6,479 per month in Sion vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sion $6,479
  • Medellin $3,190

Sion costs about 100% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sion and Medellin sit above the global median – Sion by 140%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sion
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$28.97 CHF 23.86
$7.93 COP 25.2K
265.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.6 CHF 73.8
$46.13 COP 146.3K
94.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$19.15 CHF 15.77
$9.50 COP 30.1K
101.58%
Cappuccino
$4.60 CHF 3.79
$3.11 COP 9,866
47.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.09 CHF 4.19
$1.83 COP 5,800
178.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28 CHF 3.52
$1.38 COP 4,360
210.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.36 CHF 6.06
$3.05 COP 9,672
141.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.29 CHF 6.00
$5.50 COP 17.4K
32.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sion
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.94 CHF 1.60
$1.45 COP 4,600
33.79%
White Bread (500g)
$3.54 CHF 2.92
$2.36 COP 7,496
50.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.19 CHF 3.45
$1.68 COP 5,328
149.40%
Eggs
$7.13 CHF 5.87
$2.86 COP 9,077
149.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$26.01 CHF 21.42
$10.19 COP 32.3K
155.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$22.69 CHF 18.69
$9.53 COP 30.2K
138.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$40.09 CHF 33.02
$14.04 COP 44.5K
185.54%
Apples (1kg)
$3.15 CHF 2.59
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-22.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 CHF 1.40
$1.50 COP 4,742
13.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.53 CHF 2.09
$2.17 COP 6,891
16.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.20 CHF 5.11
$2.31 COP 7,310
168.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 CHF 1.53
$1.93 COP 6,113
-4.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.16 CHF 1.78
$1.64 COP 5,196
31.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.43 CHF 2.00
$1.13 COP 3,571
115.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 CHF 0.97
$1.25 COP 3,954
-6.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.85 CHF 8.94
$3.99 COP 12.6K
171.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.25 CHF 11.74
$13.35 COP 42.3K
6.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 CHF 1.45
$1.70 COP 5,384
3.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 CHF 1.57
$2.37 COP 7,525
-19.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Sion
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.24 CHF 4.32
$1.21 COP 3,827
333.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$179 CHF 148
$76.5 COP 242.5K
134.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 CHF 4.89
$1.32 COP 4,179
350.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$5.29 CHF 4.36
$2.14 COP 6,774
147.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$48.12 CHF 39.63
$8.47 COP 26.8K
468.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.21 CHF 1.82
$1.30 COP 4,114
70.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K CHF 28.2K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
22.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6K CHF 31.0K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
6.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sion
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$308 CHF 254
$172 COP 545.6K
79.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.86 CHF 20.48
$13.37 COP 42.4K
85.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.64 CHF 40.89
$28.73 COP 91.1K
72.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sion
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$135 CHF 111
$45.24 COP 143.5K
197.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$54.5 CHF 44.88
$17.04 COP 54.0K
219.78%
Cinema Ticket
$20.28 CHF 16.70
$6.28 COP 19.9K
222.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sion
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$953 CHF 785
$770 COP 2.4M
23.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$37.7K CHF 31.1K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
318.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sion
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$109 CHF 89.7
$86.4 COP 274.0K
26.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.21 CHF 39.71
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-15.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$161 CHF 133
$137 COP 432.9K
17.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$165 CHF 136
$97.9 COP 310.4K
68.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sion
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,221 CHF 1,005
$1,055 COP 3.3M
15.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,240 CHF 1,021
$616 COP 2.0M
101.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,323 CHF 1,913
$1,892 COP 6.0M
22.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,072 CHF 1,707
$1,023 COP 3.2M
102.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,339 CHF 6,045
$4,059 COP 12.9M
80.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,532 CHF 4,556
$1,678 COP 5.3M
229.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sion
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,826 CHF 4,798
$652 COP 2.1M
793.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.15
10.94
-80.35%

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

Last update for Sion: October 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sion
$1.2K
Medellin
$616 50.3% $624
Groceries & Markets
Sion
$554
Medellin
$295 46.8% $259
Eating Out
Sion
$433
Medellin
$168 61.1% $265
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sion
$383
Medellin
$214 44% $169
Getting Around
Sion
$233
Medellin
$93 59.9% $139
Clothing & Footwear
Sion
$217
Medellin
$170 21.7% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Sion
$175
Medellin
$58 67% $118

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,221 in Sion versus $1,055 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 793% higher in Sion, 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 $90.0 in Sion versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $554 vs $295 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Sion
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
07:01 7:01 AM
00:01 12:01 AM
7 h behind Sion
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
34,599
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sion Medellin 8,960 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sion
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Sion vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Sion?
Yes – Sion is pricier by about 100%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,853 per month in Sion and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Sion or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Sion and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sion and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,235 in Sion and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 100%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Sion or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Sion at $3,235. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sion it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sion or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sion makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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