Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,743 per month in St. Gallen vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,379 per month in St. Gallen vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,016 per month in St. Gallen vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

St. Gallen costs about 128% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both St. Gallen and Medellin sit above the global median – St. Gallen by 171%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.37 CHF 23.97

$8.04 COP 24.8K

265.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 123

$48.29 COP 148.6K

211.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.38 CHF 15.00

$9.42 COP 29.0K

95.12%

Cappuccino

$6.27 CHF 5.12

$2.94 COP 9,040

113.27%

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

$6.07 CHF 4.96

$1.86 COP 5,735

226.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 CHF 4.30

$1.46 COP 4,479

260.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.17 CHF 7.49

$3.21 COP 9,882

185.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CHF 5.31

$5.71 COP 17.6K

14.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.83

$1.44 COP 4,428

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 CHF 2.60

$2.40 COP 7,389

32.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 CHF 3.20

$1.70 COP 5,228

130.59%

Eggs

$7.80 CHF 6.37

$2.89 COP 8,896

169.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.19 CHF 21.38

$10.06 COP 30.9K

160.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.72 CHF 24.26

$9.97 COP 30.7K

198.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.85 CHF 32.52

$14.20 COP 43.7K

180.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.59

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-20.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 CHF 1.35

$1.58 COP 4,878

4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 2.02

$2.15 COP 6,624

15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 CHF 5.10

$2.30 COP 7,078

171.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 CHF 1.38

$2.00 COP 6,169

-15.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$1.51 COP 4,646

45.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CHF 1.88

$1.20 COP 3,701

91.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 1.00

$1.28 COP 3,946

-4.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.96

$3.84 COP 11.8K

185.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.52 CHF 9.40

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-17.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.80

$1.71 COP 5,256

28.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.97

$2.74 COP 8,440

-11.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.38 CHF 3.57

$1.25 COP 3,834

250.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$129 CHF 105

$77.9 COP 239.7K

65.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 CHF 5.59

$1.31 COP 4,016

422.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.88 CHF 3.98

$2.17 COP 6,680

124.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.3 CHF 64.7

$8.29 COP 25.5K

856.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.82

$1.36 COP 4,172

63.97%

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

$36.2K CHF 29.5K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

31.67%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

8.65%

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

$314 CHF 256

$169 COP 519.2K

85.93%

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

$38.80 CHF 31.67

$13.57 COP 41.8K

185.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 CHF 45.41

$28.32 COP 87.2K

96.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.0 CHF 67.0

$45.71 COP 140.7K

79.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$97.4 CHF 79.5

$17.22 COP 53.0K

465.74%

Cinema Ticket

$30.46 CHF 24.86

$6.65 COP 20.5K

358.05%

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

$2,327 CHF 1,899

$803 COP 2.5M

189.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K CHF 26.4K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

252.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$149 CHF 122

$87.4 COP 268.8K

70.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 CHF 54.4

$59.4 COP 182.7K

12.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 123

$139 COP 427.5K

8.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 151

$102 COP 314.0K

81.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,838 CHF 1,500

$1,071 COP 3.3M

71.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,747 CHF 1,426

$653 COP 2.0M

167.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,878 CHF 2,349

$1,925 COP 5.9M

49.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 CHF 1,813

$1,048 COP 3.2M

111.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

198.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,335 CHF 7,618

$1,697 COP 5.2M

449.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,935 CHF 5,659

$655 COP 2.0M

958.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

10.94

-80.80%

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

Last update for St. Gallen: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,838 in St. Gallen versus $1,071 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 959% higher in St. Gallen, 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 $150 in St. Gallen versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $587 vs $300 – 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

St. Gallen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Gallen is pricier by about 128%, 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 $5,615 per month in St. Gallen and $2,462 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 $150 in St. Gallen 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 $3,743 in St. Gallen and $1,641 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 $1,641, than in St. Gallen at $3,743. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Gallen 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, St. Gallen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.