Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilversum and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,915 in Hilversum, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hilversum, Netherlands
Medellin, Colombia
Hilversum
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,915
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,915 in Hilversum versus $1,639 in Medellin.

  • Hilversum $2,915
  • Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,247 in Hilversum versus $2,413 in Medellin.

  • Hilversum $4,247
  • Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,579 in Hilversum versus $3,186 in Medellin.

  • Hilversum $5,579
  • Medellin $3,186

Living in Hilversum is roughly 78% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hilversum 114% above, Medellin 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hilversum
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$28.34 €25.39
$8.09 COP 26.1K
250.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.5 €69.4
$47.05 COP 151.9K
64.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$17.08 €15.31
$9.50 COP 30.7K
79.79%
Cappuccino
$4.29 €3.84
$3.01 COP 9,735
42.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 €3.60
$1.80 COP 5,809
123.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.69
$1.41 COP 4,561
112.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.48 €4.91
$3.18 COP 10.3K
72.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.61 €5.03
$5.75 COP 18.6K
-2.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hilversum
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 €1.51
$1.51 COP 4,876
11.26%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 €1.96
$2.38 COP 7,678
-7.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.10 €2.78
$1.77 COP 5,720
75.14%
Eggs
$5.06 €4.53
$2.89 COP 9,333
75.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.89 €12.45
$10.19 COP 32.9K
36.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.50 €12.99
$9.87 COP 31.9K
46.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.70 €14.97
$13.99 COP 45.2K
19.37%
Apples (1kg)
$2.45 €2.20
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-38.29%
Banana (1kg)
$2.77 €2.48
$1.55 COP 5,012
78.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.02 €1.81
$2.18 COP 7,048
-7.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.44 €3.98
$2.18 COP 7,051
103.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 €1.59
$1.96 COP 6,337
-9.18%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 €1.80
$1.59 COP 5,132
26.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 €1.35
$1.15 COP 3,699
30.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 €1.00
$1.24 COP 4,014
-10.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.17 €10.90
$3.96 COP 12.8K
207.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.72 €6.02
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-50.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 €1.28
$1.66 COP 5,359
-13.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 €2.33
$2.26 COP 7,291
15.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Hilversum
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.61 €3.23
$1.17 COP 3,771
208.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.8 €60.8
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-12.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.57 €4.99
$1.27 COP 4,094
338.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.42 €3.07
$2.05 COP 6,612
66.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.70 €20.34
$8.55 COP 27.6K
165.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.46 €2.20
$1.35 COP 4,349
82.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.9K €37.6K
$34.1K COP 110.0M
23.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.2K €37.8K
$34.7K COP 111.9M
21.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hilversum
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$262 €234
$170 COP 547.8K
54.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.44 €26.38
$13.55 COP 43.8K
117.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$63.6 €57.0
$28.07 COP 90.6K
126.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hilversum
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 €60.5
$43.70 COP 141.1K
54.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.64 €31.04
$17.19 COP 55.5K
101.51%
Cinema Ticket
$16.51 €14.79
$6.91 COP 22.3K
138.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hilversum
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$700 €627
$797 COP 2.6M
-12.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.5K €13.9K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
70.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hilversum
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$112 €100
$84.7 COP 273.5K
32.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.96 €42.98
$58.0 COP 187.2K
-17.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.2 €82.6
$135 COP 435.8K
-31.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145 €130
$97.9 COP 316.0K
48.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hilversum
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,667 €1,494
$1,208 COP 3.9M
38.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,430 €1,282
$642 COP 2.1M
122.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,731 €2,447
$2,028 COP 6.5M
34.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,323 €2,082
$1,012 COP 3.3M
129.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,907 €6,190
$4,170 COP 13.5M
65.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,239 €4,695
$1,910 COP 6.2M
174.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hilversum
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,008 €3,592
$657 COP 2.1M
509.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.3
10.94
-60.69%

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

Last update for Hilversum: October 24, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hilversum
$1.4K
Medellin
$642 55.1% $789
Eating Out
Hilversum
$396
Medellin
$170 57.2% $227
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hilversum
$355
Medellin
$211 40.4% $143
Groceries & Markets
Hilversum
$349
Medellin
$297 15% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Hilversum
$179
Medellin
$169 5.5% $9.9
Getting Around
Hilversum
$105
Medellin
$94 10.9% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Hilversum
$101
Medellin
$58 42.8% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,667 in Hilversum and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hilversum pays about 6.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $77 in Hilversum vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $297 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Hilversum
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
05:12 5:12 AM
23:12 11:12 PM
6 h behind Hilversum
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
93,345
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hilversum Medellin 8,830 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hilversum
  • 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
Hilversum vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Hilversum and in Medellin?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,915 in Hilversum and $1,639 in Medellin, so Medellin is about 44% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Hilversum or Medellin?
Average pay in Hilversum is about 6.1 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Hilversum and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,667 in Hilversum versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Hilversum and in Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Hilversum runs roughly 12% less than in Medellin. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Hilversum and Medellin?
Childcare runs $700 in Hilversum versus $797 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,639 in Medellin versus $2,915 in Hilversum, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Hilversum. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Hilversum and Medellin?
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.
How do I decide between Hilversum and Medellin?
It comes down to priorities – Medellin wins on affordability, Hilversum on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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