Cost of Living Comparison Between Esch-sur-Alzette and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Esch-sur-Alzette and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,061 per month in Esch-sur-Alzette vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,447 per month in Esch-sur-Alzette vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,834 per month in Esch-sur-Alzette vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Esch-sur-Alzette costs about 197% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Esch-sur-Alzette sits 129% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.36 €20.44

$6.16 COP 20.1K

279.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 €50.1

$32.60 COP 106.1K

75.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.49 €13.55

$7.34 COP 23.9K

111.04%

Cappuccino

$4.76 €4.16

$1.72 COP 5,600

176.74%

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

$2.58 €2.26

$1.05 COP 3,420

145.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 €2.32

$0.77 COP 2,515

244.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.45 €3.89

$1.69 COP 5,488

163.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 €3.26

$3.17 COP 10.3K

17.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.20

$1.05 COP 3,423

30.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 €3.36

$1.30 COP 4,236

195.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.40 COP 4,544

142.86%

Eggs

$4.70 €4.11

$2.16 COP 7,047

117.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.03 €28.02

$4.39 COP 14.3K

629.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.02 €14.01

$5.88 COP 19.1K

172.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.02 €23.64

$8.64 COP 28.1K

212.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 €2.33

$2.28 COP 7,426

17.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 €1.71

$1.11 COP 3,604

75.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 €2.75

$1.53 COP 4,983

105.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 €2.95

$1.35 COP 4,410

149.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 €2.86

$1.13 COP 3,674

189.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.92

$1.13 COP 3,692

93.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.71

$0.85 COP 2,753

130.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.94

$0.91 COP 2,975

18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.18

$2.34 COP 7,630

201.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.24 €8.96

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-17.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.97 €3.47

$1.20 COP 3,909

230.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 €4.12

$2.49 COP 8,104

89.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.68 €10.22

$1.42 COP 4,623

722.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 €3.04

$1.92 COP 6,235

80.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.92 €41.05

$7.66 COP 24.9K

512.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 €1.60

$0.99 COP 3,223

84.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$279 €244

$80.8 COP 263.1K

245.07%

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

$33.24 €29.08

$9.95 COP 32.4K

234.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.2 €78.9

$24.18 COP 78.7K

272.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.99 €37.61

$25.08 COP 81.7K

71.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 €14.03

$3.98 COP 13.0K

303.02%

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

$1,531 €1,340

$305 COP 993.5K

401.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 €62.0

$58.1 COP 189.2K

21.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 €35.29

$32.20 COP 104.8K

25.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 €118

$101 COP 327.9K

34.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €137

$108 COP 350.8K

44.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,656 €1,449

$477 COP 1.6M

247.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 €1,317

$376 COP 1.2M

300.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,108 €2,719

$845 COP 2.7M

267.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 €2,281

$730 COP 2.4M

256.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,373 €6,450

$3,215 COP 10.5M

129.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,160 €5,389

$1,372 COP 4.5M

348.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,791 €3,317

$617 COP 2.0M

514.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.26

13.43

-75.73%

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

Last update for Esch-sur-Alzette: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,656 in Esch-sur-Alzette versus $477 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 515% higher in Esch-sur-Alzette, 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 $57.0 in Esch-sur-Alzette versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $481 vs $193 – 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

Esch-sur-Alzette vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,061 in Esch-sur-Alzette, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 197% apart. Esch-sur-Alzette costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,591 per month in Esch-sur-Alzette and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,061 in Esch-sur-Alzette and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,531 per month in Esch-sur-Alzette and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Esch-sur-Alzette at $3,061. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Esch-sur-Alzette it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $3,061 in Esch-sur-Alzette. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Esch-sur-Alzette makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.