Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,589 a month against $2,871 in Esch-sur-Alzette, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Esch-sur-Alzette
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
$2,871
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Esch-sur-Alzette 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 Esch-sur-Alzette and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,871 per month in Esch-sur-Alzette vs $1,589 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Esch-sur-Alzette $2,871
  • Medellin $1,589

A couple spends around $4,440 per month in Esch-sur-Alzette vs $2,364 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Esch-sur-Alzette $4,440
  • Medellin $2,364

A family of three spends $6,010 per month in Esch-sur-Alzette vs $3,139 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Esch-sur-Alzette $6,010
  • Medellin $3,139

Esch-sur-Alzette costs about 81% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Esch-sur-Alzette and Medellin sit above the global median – Esch-sur-Alzette by 114%, Medellin by 19%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Esch-sur-Alzette
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.72 €20.27
$8.01 COP 25.5K
183.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.6 €50.5
$46.55 COP 148.3K
21.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.37 €13.72
$9.43 COP 30.1K
62.99%
Cappuccino
$4.79 €4.28
$2.91 COP 9,277
64.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 €2.20
$1.75 COP 5,585
40.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 €2.20
$1.32 COP 4,218
86.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.13 €3.69
$3.13 COP 9,969
31.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 €3.31
$5.55 COP 17.7K
-33.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Esch-sur-Alzette
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.61
$1.41 COP 4,495
27.66%
White Bread (500g)
$3.76 €3.36
$2.44 COP 7,777
54.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.28 €2.93
$1.63 COP 5,191
101.23%
Eggs
$4.45 €3.97
$2.82 COP 8,990
57.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$31.07 €27.73
$9.69 COP 30.9K
220.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.63 €13.95
$9.32 COP 29.7K
67.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.29 €23.46
$13.46 COP 42.9K
95.32%
Apples (1kg)
$2.72 €2.42
$4.00 COP 12.8K
-32.00%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 €1.80
$1.48 COP 4,719
35.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.05 €2.72
$2.12 COP 6,768
43.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.31 €2.96
$2.25 COP 7,178
47.11%
Potato (1kg)
$3.30 €2.94
$1.91 COP 6,092
72.77%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 €1.84
$1.62 COP 5,160
27.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.93 €1.72
$1.15 COP 3,658
67.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 €0.95
$1.26 COP 4,021
-15.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.85 €6.11
$3.82 COP 12.2K
79.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.21 €9.12
$13.11 COP 41.8K
-22.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.90 €3.48
$1.60 COP 5,083
143.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.52 €4.03
$2.26 COP 7,188
100.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Esch-sur-Alzette
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.17 COP 3,731
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$75.0 COP 239.0K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$11.13 €9.93
$1.27 COP 4,056
776.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.64 €3.24
$2.05 COP 6,531
77.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.46 €39.67
$8.20 COP 26.1K
442.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.65
$1.27 COP 4,046
45.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$26.8K COP 85.3M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$34.4K COP 109.6M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Esch-sur-Alzette
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$265 €236
$162 COP 516.9K
63.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.31 €28.83
$13.12 COP 41.8K
146.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$88.0 €78.5
$28.09 COP 89.5K
213.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Esch-sur-Alzette
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.77 €38.16
$44.33 COP 141.2K
-3.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.33 COP 52.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.99 €14.27
$6.09 COP 19.4K
162.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Esch-sur-Alzette
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,498 €1,337
$764 COP 2.4M
95.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$8,904 COP 28.4M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Esch-sur-Alzette
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.1 €61.7
$85.0 COP 270.8K
-18.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.70 €35.42
$57.5 COP 183.2K
-30.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$129 €115
$132 COP 419.8K
-1.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$155 €138
$95.8 COP 305.1K
61.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Esch-sur-Alzette
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,842 €1,644
$1,028 COP 3.3M
79.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,377 €1,228
$604 COP 1.9M
127.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,470 €3,096
$1,802 COP 5.7M
92.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,879 €2,569
$993 COP 3.2M
190.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,268 €6,486
$3,921 COP 12.5M
85.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,070 €5,417
$1,639 COP 5.2M
270.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Esch-sur-Alzette
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,815 €3,404
$626 COP 2.0M
509.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.26
10.94
-70.20%

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

Last update for Esch-sur-Alzette: October 4, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Esch-sur-Alzette
$1.4K
Medellin
$604 56.1% $772
Groceries & Markets
Esch-sur-Alzette
$475
Medellin
$288 39.2% $186
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Esch-sur-Alzette
$385
Medellin
$203 47.2% $182
Eating Out
Esch-sur-Alzette
$333
Medellin
$166 50.1% $167
Clothing & Footwear
Esch-sur-Alzette
$177
Medellin
$166 5.8% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Esch-sur-Alzette
$75
Medellin
$57 24.4% $18
Getting Around
Esch-sur-Alzette
$29 *
Medellin
$91 211% $62

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,842 in Esch-sur-Alzette versus $1,028 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 509% 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 $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $475 vs $288 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇱🇺 Esch-sur-Alzette
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
06:42 6:42 AM
23:42 11:42 PM
7 h behind Esch-sur-Alzette
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
36,218
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,574 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Esch-sur-Alzette Medellin 8,870 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Esch-sur-Alzette
  • 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
Esch-sur-Alzette vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Esch-sur-Alzette and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,871 in Esch-sur-Alzette, $1,589 in Medellin – roughly 81% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Esch-sur-Alzette compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,306 per month in Esch-sur-Alzette and $2,384 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Esch-sur-Alzette and Medellin?
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 is more expensive overall: Esch-sur-Alzette or Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,871 in Esch-sur-Alzette and $1,589 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 81%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Esch-sur-Alzette and Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $1,498 per month in Esch-sur-Alzette and $764 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Esch-sur-Alzette at $2,871. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Esch-sur-Alzette it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Esch-sur-Alzette and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,589 in Medellin to $2,871 in Esch-sur-Alzette. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Esch-sur-Alzette or Medellin safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Esch-sur-Alzette and Medellin?
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.

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