Cost of Living Comparison Between Enschede and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Enschede and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,412 in Enschede versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,738 in Enschede versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,064 in Enschede versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Enschede is roughly 41% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Enschede 76% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.68 €18.66

$8.03 COP 25.1K

169.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 €69.8

$48.26 COP 150.8K

68.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.36 €14.08

$9.77 COP 30.5K

67.45%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.72

$2.91 COP 9,095

48.45%

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

$3.68 €3.17

$1.94 COP 6,074

89.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.59

$1.52 COP 4,754

98.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.54 €5.63

$3.09 COP 9,663

111.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 €5.91

$5.74 COP 17.9K

19.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.36 COP 4,262

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 €2.16

$2.39 COP 7,460

5.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.48

$1.70 COP 5,314

69.41%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.07

$2.87 COP 8,967

64.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.16 €12.18

$9.94 COP 31.1K

42.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.27 €13.14

$10.78 COP 33.7K

41.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 €13.16

$14.73 COP 46.0K

3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.52

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-28.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$1.57 COP 4,911

46.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.13 COP 6,642

11.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 €4.37

$2.21 COP 6,917

129.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.05 COP 6,396

4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.50 COP 4,700

39.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.19 COP 3,718

5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 €0.63

$1.16 COP 3,619

-36.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.25 €12.26

$3.90 COP 12.2K

265.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 €6.14

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-50.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.58 COP 4,948

-2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 €2.61

$2.83 COP 8,836

7.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.67

$1.17 COP 3,650

165.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €100

$77.7 COP 242.9K

49.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 €3.31

$1.28 COP 4,014

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.09 COP 6,537

29.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.18 €24.25

$8.62 COP 26.9K

226.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.44 €2.10

$1.30 COP 4,056

87.69%

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

$43.8K €37.7K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

58.42%

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

$40.9K €35.2K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

15.15%

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

$277 €238

$176 COP 550.1K

57.19%

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

$22.65 €19.49

$13.37 COP 41.8K

69.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.12 €39.69

$29.89 COP 93.4K

54.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 €29.70

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-22.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.14 €20.77

$17.06 COP 53.3K

41.50%

Cinema Ticket

$19.99 €17.20

$6.20 COP 19.4K

222.42%

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

$1,274 €1,096

$793 COP 2.5M

60.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,258 €7,106

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-8.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.9 €84.3

$85.6 COP 267.5K

14.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.72 €33.32

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-33.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 €82.9

$136 COP 425.9K

-29.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 €90.5

$103 COP 322.2K

1.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 €1,169

$1,060 COP 3.3M

28.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 €908

$680 COP 2.1M

55.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,581 €2,221

$2,012 COP 6.3M

28.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,772

$1,169 COP 3.7M

76.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,773 €4,107

$4,111 COP 12.8M

16.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,313 €2,851

$1,701 COP 5.3M

94.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,978 €2,563

$665 COP 2.1M

347.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

10.94

-57.95%

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

Last update for Enschede: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,358 in Enschede and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Enschede pays 348% 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: $81.0 in Enschede vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $303 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

Enschede vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Enschede and Medellin differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,412 vs $1,716 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 348% higher in Enschede, 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: $1,358 in Enschede versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,412 per month in Enschede versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 50% less than in Enschede. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $2,412 in Enschede, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Enschede. 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, Enschede 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 41% less than in Enschede. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.