Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kassel Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kassel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,988 in Kassel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $2,851 in Kassel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $3,714 in Kassel.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 48% less than in Kassel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Kassel is 48% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kassel
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92 COPΒ 21.4K
$14.85 €12.71
-60.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75 COPΒ 118.2K
$57.2 €48.96
-42.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.20 COPΒ 26.0K
$10.40 €8.90
-30.77%
Cappuccino
$1.70 COPΒ 6,140
$3.63 €3.11
-53.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,966
$4.35 €3.73
-74.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 COPΒ 2,605
$3.60 €3.08
-80.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.67 COPΒ 6,022
$4.79 €4.10
-65.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 COPΒ 11.2K
$4.87 €4.17
-36.34%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kassel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,809
$1.37 €1.17
-22.63%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 COPΒ 4,497
$2.33 €1.99
-46.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 COPΒ 5,022
$3.66 €3.13
-62.02%
Eggs
$2.26 COPΒ 8,168
$3.67 €3.14
-38.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.33 COPΒ 15.6K
$14.74 €12.62
-70.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.84 COPΒ 21.1K
$13.86 €11.87
-57.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.83 COPΒ 31.9K
$22.19 €18.99
-60.21%
Apples (1kg)
$2.24 COPΒ 8,099
$3.24 €2.77
-30.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.08 COPΒ 3,882
$1.75 €1.50
-38.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 COPΒ 5,522
$2.33 €2.00
-34.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 COPΒ 4,950
$5.58 €4.78
-75.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COPΒ 4,078
$1.69 €1.45
-33.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 COPΒ 4,036
$1.80 €1.54
-37.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 COPΒ 3,057
$1.99 €1.70
-57.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 COPΒ 3,281
$1.23 €1.05
-26.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33 COPΒ 8,414
$9.51 €8.14
-75.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.13 COPΒ 40.2K
$5.80 €4.96
91.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 COPΒ 4,309
$1.05 €0.90
13.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COPΒ 8,553
$1.63 €1.40
45.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kassel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 COPΒ 2,838
$3.68 €3.15
-78.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.13 COPΒ 148.5K
$68.3 €58.5
-39.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.44 COPΒ 5,184
$4.10 €3.51
-64.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.91 COPΒ 6,901
$1.89 €1.62
1.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.02 COPΒ 28.9K
$42.36 €36.26
-81.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 COPΒ 3,385
$2.01 €1.72
-53.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9K COPΒ 64.7M
$31.9K €27.3K
-43.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K COPΒ 96.7M
$34.0K €29.1K
-21.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kassel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 COPΒ 303.1K
$363 €311
-76.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60 COPΒ 34.7K
$36.48 €31.23
-73.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16 COPΒ 87.2K
$52.3 €44.75
-53.79%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kassel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.88 COPΒ 93.4K
$33.31 €28.52
-22.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 COPΒ 68.7K
$16.00 €13.70
19.00%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92 COPΒ 14.1K
$11.36 €9.72
-65.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kassel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$306 COPΒ 1.1M
$377 €323
-18.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,919 COPΒ 21.4M
$16.5K €14.1K
-64.12%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kassel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9 COPΒ 209.1K
$100 €85.8
-42.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82 COPΒ 114.9K
$52.8 €45.19
-39.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.9 COPΒ 360.6K
$93.6 €80.1
6.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 COPΒ 386.8K
$137 €117
-21.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kassel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$487 COPΒ 1.8M
$813 €696
-40.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$368 COPΒ 1.3M
$588 €503
-37.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$826 COPΒ 3.0M
$1,066 €913
-22.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$716 COPΒ 2.6M
$912 €780
-21.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,925 COPΒ 10.6M
$6,026 €5,158
-51.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,407 COPΒ 5.1M
$3,092 €2,647
-54.51%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kassel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$546 COPΒ 2.0M
$3,232 €2,766
-83.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
3.98
237.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kassel: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $813 in Kassel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kassel pays 492% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $57.0 in Kassel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $362 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Kassel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Kassel?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 92% lower than in Kassel. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or Kassel?
On paper, Kassel earns 492% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin vs Kassel?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $813 in Kassel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin vs Kassel?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $57.0 in Kassel. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Kassel?
All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,988 in Kassel – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Medellin or Kassel?
At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,988 in Kassel, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kassel. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Kassel?
Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,034 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.
How safe is Medellin compared to Kassel?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Kassel are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Kassel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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