Cost of Living Comparison Between Geleen and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Geleen and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,418 per month in Geleen vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,514 per month in Geleen vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,611 per month in Geleen vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Geleen costs about 141% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Geleen sits 82% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.11 €14.91

$5.91 COP 18.9K

189.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 €70.8

$32.96 COP 105.2K

146.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.48 €10.88

$7.43 COP 23.7K

67.97%

Cappuccino

$3.97 €3.46

$1.65 COP 5,276

140.61%

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

$3.18 €2.77

$1.10 COP 3,514

189.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.04

$0.78 COP 2,491

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.21 €5.42

$1.72 COP 5,484

261.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 €4.66

$3.18 COP 10.1K

67.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.10 COP 3,521

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.84

$1.26 COP 4,015

67.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 €2.85

$1.38 COP 4,407

136.96%

Eggs

$4.63 €4.03

$2.18 COP 6,950

112.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.76

$4.49 COP 14.3K

200.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.38 €13.41

$5.79 COP 18.5K

165.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 €14.96

$8.97 COP 28.6K

91.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.32 COP 7,405

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.06 COP 3,397

140.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 €1.65

$1.52 COP 4,838

24.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 €3.72

$1.36 COP 4,327

213.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.82

$1.13 COP 3,599

84.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.17 COP 3,738

79.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 €1.06

$0.90 COP 2,876

35.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 €0.66

$0.90 COP 2,861

-15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 €12.71

$2.23 COP 7,128

553.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 €6.05

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-42.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.19 COP 3,793

26.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.43

$2.48 COP 7,920

12.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 €3.14

$0.85 COP 2,723

324.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.0 €81.1

$41.62 COP 132.8K

123.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 €3.07

$1.42 COP 4,518

148.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 €1.89

$1.95 COP 6,223

11.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.05 €25.32

$7.89 COP 25.2K

268.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.94

$0.99 COP 3,160

124.24%

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

$37.2K €32.4K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

111.19%

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

$32.9K €28.7K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

22.82%

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

$197 €172

$83.0 COP 264.9K

137.56%

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

$24.93 €21.74

$9.70 COP 30.9K

157.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.30 €35.14

$23.52 COP 75.0K

71.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.86 €35.62

$25.26 COP 80.6K

61.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.89 €19.96

$19.10 COP 60.9K

19.84%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 €12.93

$3.95 COP 12.6K

275.44%

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

$1,589 €1,386

$316 COP 1.0M

403.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,324 €5,513

$5,975 COP 19.1M

5.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.7 €65.1

$60.0 COP 191.4K

24.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.72 €32.88

$31.82 COP 101.5K

18.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €103

$102 COP 324.4K

16.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €115

$107 COP 342.8K

22.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,399 €1,220

$475 COP 1.5M

194.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 €1,005

$374 COP 1.2M

208.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 €1,968

$849 COP 2.7M

165.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 €1,529

$719 COP 2.3M

143.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,555 €4,842

$3,265 COP 10.4M

70.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,717 €4,112

$1,441 COP 4.6M

227.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,477 €3,903

$624 COP 2.0M

616.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

13.43

-67.76%

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

Last update for Geleen: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,399 in Geleen versus $475 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 617% higher in Geleen, 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 $81.0 in Geleen versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 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

Geleen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geleen is pricier by about 141%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,626 per month in Geleen and $1,504 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.

Public transport costs about 124% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,589 per month in Geleen and $316 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 $1,003, than in Geleen at $2,418. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Geleen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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, Geleen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.