Cost of Living Comparison Between Aalst and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Aalst and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,156 in Aalst versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,151 in Aalst versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,146 in Aalst versus $2,144 in Medellin.

Living in Aalst is roughly 110% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aalst is 62% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.39 €20.41

$6.00 COP 20.6K

289.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €90.3

$32.84 COP 112.9K

215.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 €11.18

$7.42 COP 25.5K

72.64%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.64

$1.65 COP 5,675

152.73%

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

$3.48 €3.04

$1.07 COP 3,673

225.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.56

$0.76 COP 2,614

285.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 €4.78

$1.72 COP 5,925

218.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 €4.08

$3.20 COP 11.0K

46.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.05 COP 3,607

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 €2.51

$1.31 COP 4,492

119.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 €2.41

$1.34 COP 4,604

105.97%

Eggs

$4.17 €3.64

$2.19 COP 7,543

90.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.44 €14.35

$4.41 COP 15.2K

272.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.93 €10.41

$5.69 COP 19.6K

109.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.59

$8.52 COP 29.3K

123.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 €2.52

$2.34 COP 8,046

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 €2.11

$1.11 COP 3,815

118.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 €1.98

$1.52 COP 5,225

49.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 €2.86

$1.37 COP 4,694

139.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.25

$1.15 COP 3,962

124.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 €2.06

$1.18 COP 4,055

100.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.24

$0.84 COP 2,893

69.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.75

$0.86 COP 2,940

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.58 €10.97

$2.26 COP 7,776

456.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.37 €8.18

$11.60 COP 39.9K

-19.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.20 COP 4,121

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.77

$2.48 COP 8,508

-18.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.59

$0.79 COP 2,729

275.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.2 €49.03

$40.83 COP 140.4K

37.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 €5.20

$1.47 COP 5,038

305.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.92 COP 6,587

27.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.87 €30.43

$7.77 COP 26.7K

348.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 €1.63

$1.01 COP 3,474

85.15%

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

$35.1K €30.7K

$17.7K COP 60.7M

99.01%

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

$32.8K €28.7K

$26.5K COP 90.9M

24.16%

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

$204 €178

$81.1 COP 278.8K

152.03%

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

$21.67 €18.91

$9.43 COP 32.4K

129.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 €49.53

$23.86 COP 82.0K

137.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.16 €34.16

$25.99 COP 89.4K

50.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.20 €15.01

$18.71 COP 64.3K

-8.07%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 €13.21

$4.09 COP 14.1K

269.93%

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

$611 €533

$315 COP 1.1M

94.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K €11.7K

$6,022 COP 20.7M

122.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €92.0

$59.7 COP 205.2K

76.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.75 €42.53

$31.97 COP 109.9K

52.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €102

$101 COP 347.9K

15.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 €135

$105 COP 361.3K

46.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 €846

$485 COP 1.7M

99.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 €758

$365 COP 1.3M

137.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 €1,204

$827 COP 2.8M

66.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 €947

$730 COP 2.5M

48.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 €2,800

$2,992 COP 10.3M

7.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,035 €2,648

$1,314 COP 4.5M

130.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,701 €2,356

$551 COP 1.9M

390.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

13.43

-75.65%

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

Last update for Aalst: June 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $970 in Aalst and $485 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aalst pays 390% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $104 in Aalst vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $190 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Aalst vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aalst and Medellin differ by about 110% in total monthly costs ($2,156 vs $1,028 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 390% higher in Aalst, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $970 in Aalst versus $485 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $104 in Aalst. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,156 per month in Aalst versus $1,028 in Medellin – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $2,156 in Aalst, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Aalst. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aalst and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Aalst. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.