Cost of Living Comparison Between Zug and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zug and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,472 per month in Zug vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,190 per month in Zug vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,908 per month in Zug vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Zug costs about 339% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Zug sits 235% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.43 CHF 25.68

$5.93 COP 19.0K

430.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$164 CHF 134

$33.12 COP 106.0K

394.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.87 CHF 15.42

$7.12 COP 22.8K

165.03%

Cappuccino

$6.97 CHF 5.69

$1.71 COP 5,458

307.60%

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

$5.93 CHF 4.84

$1.05 COP 3,356

464.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 CHF 4.50

$0.72 COP 2,311

665.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.61 CHF 8.67

$1.72 COP 5,502

516.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 CHF 6.12

$3.17 COP 10.2K

136.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$1.06 COP 3,408

112.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 CHF 3.31

$1.31 COP 4,192

209.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 CHF 4.32

$1.33 COP 4,256

297.74%

Eggs

$7.89 CHF 6.44

$2.28 COP 7,298

246.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.68 CHF 23.43

$4.42 COP 14.1K

548.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.75 CHF 29.21

$5.92 COP 18.9K

503.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.93 CHF 36.71

$8.64 COP 27.7K

420.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 CHF 3.03

$2.34 COP 7,504

58.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.71

$1.10 COP 3,527

90.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 CHF 2.27

$1.47 COP 4,698

89.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.36 CHF 6.02

$1.38 COP 4,415

433.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.88

$1.17 COP 3,754

96.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.06

$1.17 COP 3,744

115.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.10

$0.90 COP 2,890

185.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CHF 1.36

$0.84 COP 2,693

98.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 CHF 8.53

$2.33 COP 7,449

348.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.15 CHF 14.83

$11.92 COP 38.1K

52.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.15 CHF 3.39

$1.15 COP 3,673

260.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CHF 3.46

$2.42 COP 7,749

74.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.96 CHF 4.05

$0.84 COP 2,687

490.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 CHF 80.8

$40.83 COP 130.7K

142.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.65 CHF 7.07

$1.41 COP 4,517

513.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.60 CHF 4.57

$1.91 COP 6,127

193.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.0 CHF 71.1

$7.83 COP 25.0K

1010.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$0.94 COP 3,020

132.98%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.6K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

124.22%

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

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

56.57%

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

$289 CHF 236

$83.3 COP 266.5K

247.43%

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

$68.3 CHF 55.8

$9.66 COP 30.9K

607.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 47.48

$24.22 COP 77.5K

139.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$136 CHF 111

$25.22 COP 80.7K

439.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.65 CHF 26.68

$19.33 COP 61.9K

68.91%

Cinema Ticket

$23.59 CHF 19.27

$4.07 COP 13.0K

479.61%

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

$4,036 CHF 3,298

$307 COP 981.2K

1216.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K CHF 33.2K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

578.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 87.1

$60.0 COP 191.9K

77.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 CHF 44.31

$32.65 COP 104.5K

66.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$154 CHF 126

$101 COP 323.5K

52.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 152

$108 COP 345.7K

71.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,771 CHF 2,264

$476 COP 1.5M

482.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,212 CHF 1,807

$379 COP 1.2M

484.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,701 CHF 5,475

$816 COP 2.6M

720.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,892 CHF 3,997

$707 COP 2.3M

591.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$31.2K CHF 25.5K

$3,190 COP 10.2M

878.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$21.5K CHF 17.6K

$1,446 COP 4.6M

1388.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,558 CHF 6,175

$622 COP 2.0M

1115.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

13.43

-81.38%

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

Last update for Zug: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,771 in Zug versus $476 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 1116% higher in Zug, 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 $164 in Zug versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $702 vs $192 – 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

Zug vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zug is pricier by about 339%, 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 $6,708 per month in Zug and $1,527 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 $164 in Zug 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 $4,472 in Zug and $1,018 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 $1,018, than in Zug at $4,472. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zug 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, Zug makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.