Cost of Living Comparison Between Antwerp and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Antwerp and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,192 in Antwerp versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,362 in Antwerp versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,531 in Antwerp versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Antwerp is roughly 119% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Antwerp is 65% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.35 €20.35

$5.91 COP 18.9K

295.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 €106

$32.96 COP 105.2K

268.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.55 €10.94

$7.43 COP 23.7K

68.91%

Cappuccino

$4.27 €3.72

$1.65 COP 5,276

158.79%

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

$3.45 €3.01

$1.10 COP 3,514

213.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 €2.66

$0.78 COP 2,491

291.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.70 €4.97

$1.72 COP 5,484

231.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 €4.05

$3.18 COP 10.1K

45.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.10 COP 3,521

19.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 €2.50

$1.26 COP 4,015

127.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 €2.30

$1.38 COP 4,407

91.30%

Eggs

$4.15 €3.62

$2.18 COP 6,950

90.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.55 €15.30

$4.49 COP 14.3K

290.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 €10.11

$5.79 COP 18.5K

100.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.96 €19.15

$8.97 COP 28.6K

144.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.56

$2.32 COP 7,405

26.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$1.06 COP 3,397

129.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €2.03

$1.52 COP 4,838

53.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.35 €2.92

$1.36 COP 4,327

146.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.49

$1.13 COP 3,599

152.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 €2.02

$1.17 COP 3,738

98.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.23

$0.90 COP 2,876

56.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.77

$0.90 COP 2,861

-2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.74 €11.11

$2.23 COP 7,128

471.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 €7.74

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-26.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.48

$1.19 COP 3,793

42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.48 COP 7,920

-18.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 €2.47

$0.85 COP 2,723

234.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €39.84

$41.62 COP 132.8K

9.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 €5.14

$1.42 COP 4,518

315.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.95 COP 6,223

25.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.38 €39.56

$7.89 COP 25.2K

475.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.62

$0.99 COP 3,160

87.88%

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

$35.7K €31.2K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

103.06%

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

$32.5K €28.3K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

21.32%

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

$205 €178

$83.0 COP 264.9K

146.55%

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

$25.76 €22.46

$9.70 COP 30.9K

165.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 €44.53

$23.52 COP 75.0K

117.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 €38.49

$25.26 COP 80.6K

74.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.17 €21.94

$19.10 COP 60.9K

31.78%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 €13.09

$3.95 COP 12.6K

280.00%

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

$637 €555

$316 COP 1.0M

101.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.6K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

123.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €97.2

$60.0 COP 191.4K

85.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.69 €43.32

$31.82 COP 101.5K

56.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €100

$102 COP 324.4K

12.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$233 €203

$107 COP 342.8K

117.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 €892

$475 COP 1.5M

115.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$856 €746

$374 COP 1.2M

128.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 €1,376

$849 COP 2.7M

85.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 €1,119

$719 COP 2.3M

78.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,494 €3,918

$3,265 COP 10.4M

37.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,143 €2,740

$1,441 COP 4.6M

118.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,017 €2,630

$624 COP 2.0M

383.08%

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 Antwerp: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,023 in Antwerp and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antwerp pays 383% 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: $122 in Antwerp vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $193 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

Antwerp vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antwerp and Medellin differ by about 119% in total monthly costs ($2,192 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 383% higher in Antwerp, 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: $1,023 in Antwerp versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 10% less than in Antwerp. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $637 in Antwerp versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,192 in Antwerp, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Antwerp. 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, Antwerp 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 119% less than in Antwerp. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.