Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amstelveen and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $3,065 in Amstelveen, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Amstelveen
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$3,065
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amstelveen and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Amstelveen and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,065 per month in Amstelveen vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Amstelveen $3,065
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $4,295 per month in Amstelveen vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Amstelveen $4,295
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $5,526 per month in Amstelveen vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Amstelveen $5,526
  • Medellin $3,190

Amstelveen costs about 90% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Amstelveen and Medellin sit above the global median – Amstelveen by 127%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.32 €21.63
$7.93 COP 25.2K
206.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.7 €75.3
$46.13 COP 146.3K
83.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.31 €11.84
$9.50 COP 30.1K
40.11%
Cappuccino
$3.98 €3.54
$3.11 COP 9,866
27.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 €3.36
$1.83 COP 5,800
106.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 €2.74
$1.38 COP 4,360
123.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.52 €4.91
$3.05 COP 9,672
80.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$5.50 COP 17.4K
2.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 €1.01
$1.45 COP 4,600
-22.07%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 €1.37
$2.36 COP 7,496
-34.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.56 €3.17
$1.68 COP 5,328
111.90%
Eggs
$4.87 €4.33
$2.86 COP 9,077
70.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.77 €11.36
$10.19 COP 32.3K
25.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.11 €12.55
$9.53 COP 30.2K
48.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.95 €15.08
$14.04 COP 44.5K
20.73%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-53.32%
Banana (1kg)
$2.42 €2.15
$1.50 COP 4,742
61.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$2.17 COP 6,891
-16.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.93 €5.27
$2.31 COP 7,310
156.71%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.93 COP 6,113
8.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.64 COP 5,196
10.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.13 COP 3,571
13.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$1.25 COP 3,954
-39.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.12 €12.55
$3.99 COP 12.6K
253.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.80 €6.05
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-49.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.27
$1.70 COP 5,384
-16.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 €2.41
$2.37 COP 7,525
14.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.89 €3.46
$1.21 COP 3,827
221.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$71.1 €63.3
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-6.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.00 €3.56
$1.32 COP 4,179
203.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.89 €2.57
$2.14 COP 6,774
35.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.69 €26.40
$8.47 COP 26.8K
250.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.36 €2.10
$1.30 COP 4,114
81.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.4K €36.8K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
47.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.2K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
8.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$282 €251
$172 COP 545.6K
63.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.74 €21.12
$13.37 COP 42.4K
77.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.3 €44.75
$28.73 COP 91.1K
75.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.06 €27.62
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-31.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$54.9 €48.86
$17.04 COP 54.0K
222.36%
Cinema Ticket
$16.45 €14.63
$6.28 COP 19.9K
161.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,347 €2,088
$770 COP 2.4M
204.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.9K €24.0K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
198.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.6 €53.0
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-30.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.45 €40.42
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-20.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.5 €79.6
$137 COP 432.9K
-34.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$146 €130
$97.9 COP 310.4K
48.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,227 €1,980
$1,055 COP 3.3M
111.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,706 €1,518
$616 COP 2.0M
177.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,136 €2,789
$1,892 COP 6.0M
65.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,489 €2,214
$1,023 COP 3.2M
143.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,191 €7,285
$4,059 COP 12.9M
101.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,126 €5,448
$1,678 COP 5.3M
264.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amstelveen
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,644 €4,131
$652 COP 2.1M
611.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.3
10.94
-60.69%

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

Last update for Amstelveen: October 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Amstelveen
$1.7K
Medellin
$616 63.9% $1.1K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amstelveen
$356
Medellin
$214 39.8% $142
Eating Out
Amstelveen
$349
Medellin
$168 51.7% $180
Groceries & Markets
Amstelveen
$331
Medellin
$295 11.1% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Amstelveen
$153
Medellin
$170 11.1% $17
Getting Around
Amstelveen
$105
Medellin
$93 11.2% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Amstelveen
$64
Medellin
$58 9.6% $6.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,227 in Amstelveen versus $1,055 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 612% 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 $85.0 in Amstelveen versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $295 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Amstelveen
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
13:32 1:32 PM
06:32 6:32 AM
7 h behind Amstelveen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
91,675
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Amstelveen Medellin 8,810 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Amstelveen
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 90%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,597 per month in Amstelveen and $2,421 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 8% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,347 per month in Amstelveen and $770 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Amstelveen or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Amstelveen at $3,065. 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.

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