Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kortrijk

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $1,833 in Kortrijk, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Kortrijk, Belgium
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Kortrijk
🇧🇪 Belgium
$1,833
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kortrijk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Kortrijk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,833 in Kortrijk, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Kortrijk $1,833

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,655 in Kortrijk, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Kortrijk $2,655

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $3,478 in Kortrijk, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Kortrijk $3,478

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Kortrijk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Kortrijk sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Kortrijk by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kortrijk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.6K
$22.46 €20.13
-63.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.9K
$71.2 €63.8
-33.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$11.06 €9.91
-14.10%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,540
$3.00 €2.69
0.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,693
$2.96 €2.66
-39.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,469
$2.64 €2.37
-46.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.0K
$4.56 €4.09
-30.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.2K
$3.32 €2.97
73.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kortrijk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,778
$1.19 €1.07
26.89%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,524
$1.74 €1.56
36.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,606
$1.43 €1.28
23.78%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,146
$3.00 €2.69
-3.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.2K
$11.72 €10.50
-13.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.2K
$8.29 €7.43
19.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.3K
$14.35 €12.86
-2.51%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.6K
$2.18 €1.95
82.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,911
$1.91 €1.71
-18.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,907
$1.99 €1.78
9.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,910
$2.01 €1.80
8.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,210
$1.97 €1.77
-0.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,029
$1.66 €1.49
-4.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,625
$1.48 €1.32
-22.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,934
$0.81 €0.73
53.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$12.71 €11.39
-68.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.3K
$7.35 €6.59
86.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,252
$2.07 €1.86
-19.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,145
$1.79 €1.60
26.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kortrijk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,696
$2.73 €2.45
-57.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 244.8K
$54.2 €48.54
42.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,013
$2.27 €2.03
-44.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,480
$2.21 €1.98
-7.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.1K
$24.72 €22.16
-65.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,262
$1.84 €1.65
-26.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.8M
$33.9K €30.4K
0.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.7M
$33.6K €30.1K
3.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kortrijk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 536.8K
$202 €181
-15.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.9K
$17.48 €15.66
-22.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.8K
$53.0 €47.46
-47.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kortrijk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 138.3K
$52.1 €46.65
-16.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.4K
$13.44 €12.04
27.90%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.9K
$14.61 €13.09
-52.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kortrijk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$657 €589
21.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.8M
$16.2K €14.5K
-43.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kortrijk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 268.1K
$55.8 €49.98
51.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 183.4K
$25.79 €23.11
124.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 427.1K
$87.5 €78.5
54.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 309.7K
$102 €91.5
-4.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kortrijk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$834 €748
44.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$717 €643
-10.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$1,224 €1,097
65.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$999 €895
1.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.2M
$4,237 €3,797
-1.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$2,263 €2,028
-15.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kortrijk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$2,814 €2,522
-76.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.9
180.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kortrijk: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Kortrijk
$717 11.8% $76
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Kortrijk
$261 12.2% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Kortrijk
$272 28.9% $61
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Kortrijk
$301 77.3% $131
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Kortrijk
$122 27.8% $47
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Kortrijk
$78 16.2% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Kortrijk
$81 41.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $834 in Kortrijk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Kortrijk are about 4.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $71 in Kortrijk. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $261 in Kortrijk – so Kortrijk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇧🇪 Kortrijk
🕒 Local time
19:14 7:14 PM
01:14 1:14 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
76,700
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Kortrijk 8,690 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Kortrijk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kortrijk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Kortrijk?
Kortrijk costs about 12% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Kortrijk?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $2,749 in Kortrijk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Medellin or Kortrijk?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kortrijk, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $834 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or in Kortrijk?
Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Kortrijk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin and in Kortrijk?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $71 in Kortrijk. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Medellin or in Kortrijk?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,639 in Medellin and $1,833 in Kortrijk, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Medellin or Kortrijk?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $1,833 in Kortrijk. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Medellin or to Kortrijk?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kortrijk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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