Cost of Living Comparison Between Staefa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Staefa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,420 per month in Staefa vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,329 per month in Staefa vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,238 per month in Staefa vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Staefa costs about 103% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Staefa and Medellin sit above the global median – Staefa by 150%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.60 CHF 24.46

$7.89 COP 24.2K

287.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 97.2

$44.53 COP 136.5K

172.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.98 CHF 13.57

$9.29 COP 28.5K

82.78%

Cappuccino

$6.38 CHF 5.10

$2.90 COP 8,874

120.00%

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

$5.65 CHF 4.52

$1.81 COP 5,541

212.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CHF 4.19

$1.55 COP 4,741

237.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.71 CHF 6.96

$3.25 COP 9,962

168.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.44 CHF 6.75

$5.88 COP 18.0K

43.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.69

$1.38 COP 4,230

52.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CHF 2.72

$2.45 COP 7,517

38.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 CHF 3.19

$1.51 COP 4,617

164.24%

Eggs

$8.62 CHF 6.89

$2.78 COP 8,516

210.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.49 CHF 21.98

$9.05 COP 27.7K

203.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.53 CHF 20.42

$10.65 COP 32.6K

139.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$55.3 CHF 44.25

$14.63 COP 44.8K

278.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.87

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-9.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.25

$1.38 COP 4,219

103.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 CHF 2.77

$2.30 COP 7,056

50.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 CHF 3.67

$2.02 COP 6,185

127.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.97

$2.09 COP 6,390

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CHF 1.77

$1.63 COP 4,996

35.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CHF 2.09

$1.08 COP 3,313

141.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 CHF 1.04

$1.25 COP 3,843

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 CHF 8.83

$4.03 COP 12.4K

174.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.51 CHF 10.80

$13.47 COP 41.3K

0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 CHF 2.18

$1.60 COP 4,904

70.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 CHF 2.24

$3.00 COP 9,189

-6.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.64

$1.18 COP 3,611

285.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CHF 83.3

$79.9 COP 244.9K

30.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 CHF 6.06

$1.61 COP 4,920

370.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.81 CHF 3.84

$2.13 COP 6,533

125.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.2 CHF 69.7

$8.52 COP 26.1K

923.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.83

$1.35 COP 4,142

69.63%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.6K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

43.73%

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

$39.7K CHF 31.7K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

11.10%

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

$205 CHF 164

$151 COP 463.8K

35.24%

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

$32.31 CHF 25.83

$13.10 COP 40.1K

146.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 CHF 45.25

$32.30 COP 99.0K

75.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.9 CHF 76.7

$46.33 COP 141.9K

106.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.30 CHF 37.02

$17.26 COP 52.9K

168.25%

Cinema Ticket

$22.51 CHF 18.00

$6.43 COP 19.7K

250.08%

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

$2,911 CHF 2,327

$835 COP 2.6M

248.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.9K CHF 34.3K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

382.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 113

$89.3 COP 273.7K

58.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 CHF 48.18

$55.3 COP 169.5K

8.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 118

$137 COP 418.5K

7.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 139

$109 COP 335.1K

58.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 CHF 1,431

$952 COP 2.9M

87.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 CHF 1,195

$668 COP 2.0M

123.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,907 CHF 2,325

$2,020 COP 6.2M

43.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,532 CHF 2,024

$1,148 COP 3.5M

120.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.3K

$3,696 COP 11.3M

350.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.1K CHF 9,713

$1,586 COP 4.9M

666.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

10.43

-83.51%

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

Last update for Staefa: August 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,789 in Staefa versus $952 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in Staefa versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $638 vs $297 – 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

Staefa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Staefa is pricier by about 103%, 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 $5,130 per month in Staefa and $2,530 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 $122 in Staefa and $45.00 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 $3,420 in Staefa and $1,687 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 $1,687, than in Staefa at $3,420. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Staefa 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, Staefa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.