Cost of Living Comparison Between Maastricht and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Maastricht and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,681 per month in Maastricht vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,780 per month in Maastricht vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,880 per month in Maastricht vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Maastricht costs about 59% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maastricht and Medellin sit above the global median – Maastricht by 96%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 €18.02

$8.02 COP 25.4K

158.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 €79.1

$47.87 COP 152.0K

89.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 €11.03

$9.89 COP 31.4K

28.11%

Cappuccino

$4.59 €4.00

$3.13 COP 9,937

46.65%

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

$3.86 €3.36

$1.91 COP 6,058

102.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.67

$1.51 COP 4,794

103.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.76 €7.62

$3.12 COP 9,917

180.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 €5.04

$5.75 COP 18.3K

0.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.44 COP 4,587

-7.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 €2.16

$2.49 COP 7,894

-0.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$1.77 COP 5,631

55.93%

Eggs

$4.61 €4.01

$2.96 COP 9,396

55.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 €13.00

$10.07 COP 32.0K

48.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.23 €12.39

$10.12 COP 32.1K

40.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.48 €14.34

$14.30 COP 45.4K

15.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.35

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-34.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 €2.29

$1.61 COP 5,106

63.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$2.25 COP 7,129

-12.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 €4.04

$2.25 COP 7,150

106.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.04 COP 6,486

-0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.13

$1.54 COP 4,873

58.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.17 COP 3,715

13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.76

$1.31 COP 4,148

-33.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.21 €12.37

$3.90 COP 12.4K

264.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.79 €5.91

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-51.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.74 COP 5,534

-9.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.38

$2.87 COP 9,112

-4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.74

$1.22 COP 3,858

157.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.2 €82.0

$80.5 COP 255.5K

17.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.38 €9.91

$1.31 COP 4,155

768.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 €2.98

$2.19 COP 6,944

56.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.97 €25.21

$8.71 COP 27.7K

232.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.43 €2.11

$1.37 COP 4,334

77.37%

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

$43.1K €37.5K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

54.93%

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

$40.9K €35.6K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

14.38%

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

$308 €268

$177 COP 562.9K

73.49%

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

$18.02 €15.68

$13.88 COP 44.1K

29.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 €44.05

$29.72 COP 94.4K

70.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.07 €41.84

$44.88 COP 142.5K

7.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.15 €25.37

$17.12 COP 54.4K

70.27%

Cinema Ticket

$16.07 €13.98

$6.65 COP 21.1K

141.65%

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

$1,272 €1,107

$813 COP 2.6M

56.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.2K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

27.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 €72.5

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-6.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.70 €33.68

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-34.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €100

$138 COP 438.8K

-16.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €114

$102 COP 324.2K

28.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 €1,162

$1,062 COP 3.4M

25.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 €1,048

$663 COP 2.1M

81.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 €1,896

$1,888 COP 6.0M

15.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 €1,545

$1,027 COP 3.3M

72.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,469 €4,760

$4,183 COP 13.3M

30.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,625 €3,155

$1,675 COP 5.3M

116.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,398 €2,957

$678 COP 2.2M

401.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

10.94

-59.60%

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

Last update for Maastricht: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,335 in Maastricht versus $1,062 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 401% higher in Maastricht, 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 $91.0 in Maastricht versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $305 – 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

Maastricht vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maastricht costs about 59% 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 $4,021 per month in Maastricht and $2,521 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,681 in Maastricht and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Maastricht at $2,681. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maastricht it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,681 versus $2,681 in Maastricht. 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, Maastricht makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.