😐A single person spends $3,085 per month in Amstelveen vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $4,007 per month in Amstelveen vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,929 per month in Amstelveen vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
😐Amstelveen costs about 198% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Amstelveen sits 130% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.82€22.05
$5.92COP 21.5K
336.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.2€69.3
$32.75COP 119.1K
147.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.63€11.64
$7.20COP 26.2K
89.31%
Cappuccino
$4.07€3.48
$1.70COP 6,186
139.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.00€3.42
$1.10COP 3,996
263.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33€2.84
$0.72COP 2,625
362.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.86€5.00
$1.67COP 6,067
250.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91€5.05
$3.10COP 11.3K
90.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.23€1.05
$1.06COP 3,837
16.04%
White Bread(500g)
$1.66€1.42
$1.25COP 4,531
32.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.64€3.11
$1.39COP 5,060
161.87%
Eggs
$4.71€4.02
$2.26COP 8,229
108.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.20€11.27
$4.33COP 15.8K
204.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$16.67€14.24
$5.84COP 21.2K
185.45%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.27€14.75
$8.83COP 32.1K
95.58%
Apples(1kg)
$1.95€1.66
$2.24COP 8,159
-12.95%
Banana(1kg)
$2.46€2.10
$1.08COP 3,911
127.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.89€1.62
$1.53COP 5,563
23.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.19€3.58
$1.37COP 4,987
205.84%
Potato(1kg)
$2.10€1.79
$1.13COP 4,109
85.84%
Onion(1kg)
$1.98€1.69
$1.12COP 4,067
76.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19€1.02
$0.85COP 3,080
40.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78€0.66
$0.91COP 3,305
-14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.20€12.13
$2.33COP 8,477
509.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.08€6.04
$11.13COP 40.5K
-36.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.48€1.26
$1.19COP 4,342
24.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74€2.34
$2.37COP 8,617
15.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.97€3.39
$0.79COP 2,859
402.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$92.8€79.2
$41.13COP 149.6K
125.53%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.24€3.63
$1.44COP 5,223
194.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.99€2.55
$1.91COP 6,952
56.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$30.76€26.27
$8.02COP 29.2K
283.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.20€1.88
$0.94COP 3,410
134.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.2K€27.5K
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
79.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K€27.7K
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
20.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$362€309
$84.0COP 305.4K
330.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.87€26.36
$9.60COP 34.9K
221.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.8€52.8
$24.16COP 87.9K
155.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.91€28.11
$25.88COP 94.1K
27.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.58€21.85
$19.04COP 69.3K
34.35%
Cinema Ticket
$17.32€14.79
$3.92COP 14.2K
341.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$2,023€1,727
$306COP 1.1M
560.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$20.8K€17.7K
$5,919COP 21.5M
250.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.1€51.3
$57.9COP 210.6K
3.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.02€40.15
$31.82COP 115.7K
47.77%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.6€77.4
$99.9COP 363.3K
-9.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141€121
$107COP 389.7K
31.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,282€1,949
$487COP 1.8M
368.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,610€1,375
$368COP 1.3M
337.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,556€2,183
$826COP 3.0M
209.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,693€1,446
$716COP 2.6M
136.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,924€6,767
$2,925COP 10.6M
170.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,068€5,182
$1,407COP 5.1M
331.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,909€4,192
$546COP 2.0M
799.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.4
13.43
-67.24%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Amstelveen: April 27, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $2,282 in Amstelveen versus $487 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 800% higher in Amstelveen, 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 $81.0 in Amstelveen versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $190 – 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
Amstelveen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Amstelveen?
Yes – Amstelveen is pricier by about 198%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,627 per month in Amstelveen and $1,550 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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 126% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,023 per month in Amstelveen and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Amstelveen or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Amstelveen at $3,085. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amstelveen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Amstelveen 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 safer, Amstelveen or Medellin?
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.
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, Amstelveen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Amstelveen vs other spots: cost of living compared