Cost of Living Comparison Between Hasselt and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hasselt and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,111 per month in Hasselt vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,204 per month in Hasselt vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,296 per month in Hasselt vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Hasselt costs about 29% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hasselt and Medellin sit above the global median – Hasselt by 53%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.19 €19.99

$8.04 COP 24.8K

188.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 €90.6

$48.29 COP 148.6K

117.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 €12.05

$9.42 COP 29.0K

48.41%

Cappuccino

$3.95 €3.40

$2.94 COP 9,040

34.35%

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

$3.74 €3.22

$1.86 COP 5,735

101.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 €2.75

$1.46 COP 4,479

118.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 €4.78

$3.21 COP 9,882

72.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 €4.87

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-0.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.44 COP 4,428

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.40 COP 7,389

9.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.70 COP 5,228

37.65%

Eggs

$3.53 €3.05

$2.89 COP 8,896

22.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 €6.85

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-20.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.01 €10.36

$9.97 COP 30.7K

20.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.89 €20.59

$14.20 COP 43.7K

68.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-49.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.58 COP 4,878

10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 €2.29

$2.15 COP 6,624

23.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.30 COP 7,078

21.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.00 COP 6,169

-7.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.51 COP 4,646

-7.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.20 COP 3,701

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.92

$1.28 COP 3,946

-17.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.40 €11.55

$3.84 COP 11.8K

248.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 €7.86

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-34.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 €1.39

$1.71 COP 5,256

-5.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.74 COP 8,440

-21.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.16 €2.73

$1.25 COP 3,834

152.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.62 €28.98

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-56.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 €4.89

$1.31 COP 4,016

333.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 €2.36

$2.17 COP 6,680

25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.55 €31.51

$8.29 COP 25.5K

340.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.36 COP 4,172

46.32%

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

$36.3K €31.3K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

32.28%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-3.67%

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

$209 €180

$169 COP 519.2K

23.79%

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

$20.46 €17.63

$13.57 COP 41.8K

50.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.05 €42.28

$28.32 COP 87.2K

73.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.48 €25.42

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-35.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.46 €8.16

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-45.06%

Cinema Ticket

$15.93 €13.73

$6.65 COP 20.5K

139.55%

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

$1,656 €1,428

$803 COP 2.5M

106.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.1K €30.2K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

281.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €101

$87.4 COP 268.8K

34.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 €46.31

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-9.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.3

$139 COP 427.5K

-23.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €119

$102 COP 314.0K

35.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$953 €822

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-10.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 €725

$653 COP 2.0M

28.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 €1,324

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-20.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 €1,076

$1,048 COP 3.2M

19.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,679 €4,033

$4,123 COP 12.7M

13.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,560 €2,207

$1,697 COP 5.2M

50.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,205 €2,763

$655 COP 2.0M

389.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.42

10.94

-68.74%

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

Last update for Hasselt: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $953 in Hasselt versus $1,071 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 389% higher in Hasselt, 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 $105 in Hasselt versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $300 – 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

Hasselt vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,111 in Hasselt, $1,641 in Medellin – roughly 29% apart. Hasselt costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,167 per month in Hasselt and $2,462 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,656 per month in Hasselt and $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Hasselt, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Hasselt at $2,111. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hasselt 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 $1,641 in Medellin to $2,111 in Hasselt. 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, Hasselt makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.