Cost of Living Comparison Between Leeuwarden and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Leeuwarden and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,688 per month in Leeuwarden vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,933 per month in Leeuwarden vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,178 per month in Leeuwarden vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Leeuwarden costs about 57% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Leeuwarden and Medellin sit above the global median – Leeuwarden by 96%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.30 €20.05

$8.03 COP 25.1K

190.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 €98.4

$48.26 COP 150.8K

136.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.01 €13.77

$9.77 COP 30.5K

63.87%

Cappuccino

$3.87 €3.33

$2.91 COP 9,095

32.99%

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

$3.75 €3.22

$1.94 COP 6,074

93.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.64

$1.52 COP 4,754

101.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 €5.89

$3.09 COP 9,663

121.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 €4.67

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-5.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.36 COP 4,262

-15.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.64

$2.39 COP 7,460

-20.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 €2.67

$1.70 COP 5,314

82.35%

Eggs

$4.48 €3.85

$2.87 COP 8,967

56.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 €11.39

$9.94 COP 31.1K

33.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.76 €12.70

$10.78 COP 33.7K

36.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.48 €14.18

$14.73 COP 46.0K

11.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-40.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$1.57 COP 4,911

63.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$2.13 COP 6,642

-9.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 €3.45

$2.21 COP 6,917

81.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$2.05 COP 6,396

-8.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.74

$1.50 COP 4,700

35.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.19 COP 3,718

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$1.16 COP 3,619

-21.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 €12.55

$3.90 COP 12.2K

273.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.36 €6.34

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-49.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.58 COP 4,948

-1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.05

$2.83 COP 8,836

-15.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 €3.03

$1.17 COP 3,650

200.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$136 €117

$77.7 COP 242.9K

74.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.13 €7.86

$1.28 COP 4,014

613.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.12 €3.54

$2.09 COP 6,537

97.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.1 €45.70

$8.62 COP 26.9K

516.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.30 COP 4,056

89.23%

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

$42.5K €36.6K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

53.59%

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

$41.3K €35.6K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

16.39%

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

$379 €326

$176 COP 550.1K

114.99%

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

$43.12 €37.10

$13.37 COP 41.8K

222.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 €51.3

$29.89 COP 93.4K

99.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.57 €34.05

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-11.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.48 €16.76

$17.06 COP 53.3K

14.19%

Cinema Ticket

$17.27 €14.86

$6.20 COP 19.4K

178.55%

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

$1,382 €1,189

$793 COP 2.5M

74.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K €20.1K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

158.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 €100.0

$85.6 COP 267.5K

35.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 €35.52

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-29.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 €116

$136 COP 425.9K

-0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €119

$103 COP 322.2K

34.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 €1,229

$1,060 COP 3.3M

34.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 €936

$680 COP 2.1M

60.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,915 €3,369

$2,012 COP 6.3M

94.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 €1,438

$1,169 COP 3.7M

42.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,672 €3,160

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-10.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,426 €2,948

$1,701 COP 5.3M

101.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,101 €2,668

$665 COP 2.1M

366.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

10.94

-59.96%

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

Last update for Leeuwarden: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,429 in Leeuwarden versus $1,060 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 366% higher in Leeuwarden, 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 $114 in Leeuwarden versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $303 – 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

Leeuwarden vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leeuwarden costs about 57% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,032 per month in Leeuwarden and $2,574 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 $1,382 per month in Leeuwarden and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Leeuwarden, 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 $1,716, than in Leeuwarden at $2,688. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leeuwarden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,716 versus $2,688 in Leeuwarden. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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