Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Amstelveen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Amstelveen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,662 per month in Medellin vs $3,225 in Amstelveen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,451 per month in Medellin vs $4,495 in Amstelveen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,241 per month in Medellin vs $5,765 in Amstelveen, rent included.

Medellin is about 48% cheaper than Amstelveen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Amstelveen sit above the global median – Medellin by 22%, Amstelveen by 137%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.94 COP 24.9K

$25.46 €22.05

-68.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.55 COP 136.2K

$88.3 €76.4

-50.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 COP 30.5K

$13.65 €11.82

-28.72%

Cappuccino

$2.92 COP 9,129

$4.26 €3.69

-31.46%

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

$1.88 COP 5,891

$3.96 €3.43

-52.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 COP 4,793

$3.31 €2.86

-53.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.2K

$5.72 €4.96

-43.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 COP 17.6K

$5.87 €5.09

-4.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,081

$1.22 €1.05

6.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 COP 7,269

$1.63 €1.42

42.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,485

$3.70 €3.20

-61.35%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 8,821

$5.21 €4.52

-45.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 COP 28.0K

$12.89 €11.17

-30.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 COP 33.6K

$17.16 €14.86

-37.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.45 COP 45.2K

$17.46 €15.12

-17.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.4K

$1.97 €1.71

101.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,323

$2.58 €2.23

-46.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 COP 7,064

$1.85 €1.60

22.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,564

$6.25 €5.42

-66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,550

$2.07 €1.79

0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,009

$1.90 €1.64

-15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,252

$1.28 €1.11

-18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,989

$0.72 €0.62

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$14.20 €12.30

-72.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$6.97 €6.04

91.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,186

$1.55 €1.34

7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 COP 9,309

$2.78 €2.41

7.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 COP 3,837

$4.00 €3.47

-69.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.6 COP 245.9K

$74.9 €64.9

4.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 COP 4,710

$4.25 €3.68

-64.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 COP 6,384

$3.04 €2.64

-32.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.7K

$30.27 €26.21

-71.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,215

$2.47 €2.14

-45.34%

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

$28.1K COP 87.8M

$42.7K €37.0K

-34.25%

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

$36.0K COP 112.6M

$40.0K €34.7K

-10.04%

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

$152 COP 475.6K

$294 €255

-48.32%

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

$13.16 COP 41.2K

$24.64 €21.34

-46.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.61 COP 98.9K

$52.3 €45.30

-39.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 COP 149.8K

$33.33 €28.87

43.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.95 COP 53.0K

$58.4 €50.5

-70.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 COP 20.1K

$17.14 €14.85

-62.60%

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

$853 COP 2.7M

$2,407 €2,085

-64.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,701 COP 27.2M

$27.1K €23.5K

-67.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 COP 284.7K

$61.1 €52.9

48.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 COP 170.8K

$45.81 €39.68

19.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.2K

$92.6 €80.2

46.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 340.3K

$149 €129

-27.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 COP 3.0M

$2,367 €2,050

-59.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 COP 2.1M

$1,765 €1,528

-62.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,985 COP 6.2M

$3,322 €2,877

-40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 COP 3.6M

$2,564 €2,221

-54.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,664 COP 11.5M

$8,312 €7,199

-55.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,573 COP 4.9M

$6,362 €5,510

-75.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 COP 2.0M

$4,921 €4,262

-87.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

4.3

142.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 9, 2026

Last update for Amstelveen: August 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Medellin versus $2,367 in Amstelveen. 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 683% higher in Amstelveen, 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 $44.00 in Medellin versus $88.0 in Amstelveen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $356 – 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

Medellin vs Amstelveen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amstelveen is pricier by about 94%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,493 per month in Medellin and $4,838 in Amstelveen. 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.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $853 per month in Medellin and $2,407 in Amstelveen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,662, than in Amstelveen at $3,225. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amstelveen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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