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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,529 per month in Leeuwarden vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Leeuwarden vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,941 per month in Leeuwarden vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Leeuwarden costs about 150% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Leeuwarden sits 89% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.11 €19.90

$5.99 COP 21.4K

285.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €89.0

$32.86 COP 117.2K

214.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.49 €10.76

$7.09 COP 25.3K

76.16%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.60

$1.71 COP 6,105

143.86%

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

$3.98 €3.43

$1.10 COP 3,918

261.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$0.78 COP 2,776

315.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 €5.87

$1.68 COP 5,987

305.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 €4.62

$3.07 COP 10.9K

74.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.09 COP 3,899

4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 €2.11

$1.26 COP 4,500

95.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 €2.66

$1.38 COP 4,914

123.91%

Eggs

$4.69 €4.04

$2.19 COP 7,813

114.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 €11.40

$4.40 COP 15.7K

200.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.49 €13.34

$5.63 COP 20.1K

175.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 €14.67

$8.89 COP 31.7K

91.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.34 COP 8,334

-13.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$1.06 COP 3,771

139.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.50 COP 5,365

31.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 €3.43

$1.38 COP 4,915

188.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.15 COP 4,104

82.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.16 COP 4,148

67.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 €1.05

$0.89 COP 3,176

37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.67

$0.84 COP 2,992

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.69 €10.92

$2.28 COP 8,131

456.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 €6.39

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-30.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.20 COP 4,276

23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.42

$0.86 COP 3,051

226.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 €119

$41.40 COP 147.6K

234.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 €5.13

$1.47 COP 5,255

304.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.96 COP 6,997

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.81 €23.08

$7.74 COP 27.6K

246.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 €1.87

$0.95 COP 3,403

128.42%

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

$29.0K €25.0K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

59.82%

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

$24.5K €21.1K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-7.37%

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

$246 €212

$82.3 COP 293.2K

199.14%

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

$28.98 €24.96

$9.50 COP 33.9K

205.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 €42.20

$24.23 COP 86.4K

102.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.44 €33.10

$25.89 COP 92.3K

48.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.33 €14.92

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-8.79%

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 €11.63

$3.93 COP 14.0K

243.77%

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

$966 €832

$309 COP 1.1M

212.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,320 €5,442

$5,965 COP 21.3M

5.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.5 €84.8

$58.7 COP 209.1K

67.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 €45.38

$32.35 COP 115.3K

62.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 €103

$103 COP 365.7K

16.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 €139

$108 COP 386.5K

48.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 €1,303

$476 COP 1.7M

217.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 €961

$379 COP 1.4M

194.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,999 €4,304

$838 COP 3.0M

496.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 €1,510

$724 COP 2.6M

142.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,743 €3,223

$2,791 COP 9.9M

34.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,314 €2,854

$1,211 COP 4.3M

173.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,096 €2,666

$512 COP 1.8M

504.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

13.43

-68.13%

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

Last update for Leeuwarden: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,513 in Leeuwarden versus $476 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 505% 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 $103 in Leeuwarden versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $188 – 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 150% 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 $3,794 per month in Leeuwarden and $1,519 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 $966 per month in Leeuwarden and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Leeuwarden at $2,529. 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 $1,013 versus $2,529 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.