Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vilvoorde

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,176 in Vilvoorde, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Vilvoorde, Belgium
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Vilvoorde
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,176
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Vilvoorde

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 Vilvoorde actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $2,176 in Vilvoorde, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Vilvoorde $2,176

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $3,156 in Vilvoorde, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Vilvoorde $3,156

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $4,136 in Vilvoorde, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Vilvoorde $4,136

Medellin is about 25% cheaper than Vilvoorde, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Vilvoorde sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Vilvoorde by 60%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Vilvoorde
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$22.30 €19.89
-63.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$79.3 €70.8
-40.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$13.26 €11.83
-28.36%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,734
$4.15 €3.70
-27.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$2.88 €2.57
-37.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,560
$2.81 €2.51
-49.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$5.54 €4.94
-42.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$4.49 €4.00
28.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Vilvoorde
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,875
$1.16 €1.04
30.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,677
$2.75 €2.46
-13.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,719
$1.99 €1.78
-11.06%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,332
$3.94 €3.52
-26.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$11.33 €10.11
-10.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$12.09 €10.79
-18.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$18.95 €16.90
-26.17%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.72 €2.43
45.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,011
$2.14 €1.91
-27.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,047
$2.21 €1.97
-1.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,050
$2.23 €1.99
-2.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,336
$2.16 €1.93
-9.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,131
$1.66 €1.49
-4.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,698
$1.33 €1.18
-13.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$0.96 €0.86
29.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$13.25 €11.82
-70.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$8.78 €7.83
55.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$2.00 €1.78
-17.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,290
$1.78 €1.58
26.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Vilvoorde
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,770
$4.67 €4.16
-74.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
$54.7 €48.84
41.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$10.24 €9.14
-87.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,611
$2.41 €2.15
-14.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$25.06 €22.36
-65.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,348
$2.00 €1.78
-32.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$35.9K €32.0K
-5.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$35.8K €31.9K
-3.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Vilvoorde
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.7K
$224 €200
-24.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$18.45 €16.46
-26.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$52.8 €47.09
-46.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Vilvoorde
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
$36.90 €32.92
18.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
$19.57 €17.46
-12.16%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$15.46 €13.80
-55.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Vilvoorde
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$559 €499
42.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$16.5K €14.7K
-44.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Vilvoorde
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$106 €95.0
-20.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.1K
$26.43 €23.58
119.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.7K
$107 €95.6
25.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$148 €132
-34.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Vilvoorde
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$950 €848
27.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$897 €800
-28.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,364 €1,217
48.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,270 €1,133
-20.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
$4,110 €3,667
1.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$2,845 €2,538
-32.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Vilvoorde
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$3,681 €3,284
-82.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.2
241.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Vilvoorde: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Vilvoorde
$897 39.8% $255
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Vilvoorde
$318 7.2% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Vilvoorde
$295 39.6% $84
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Vilvoorde
$327 93.1% $158
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Vilvoorde
$175 3.5% $5.8
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Vilvoorde
$96 2.3% $2.1
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Vilvoorde
$68 17.9% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $950 in Vilvoorde. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Vilvoorde are about 5.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $79 in Vilvoorde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $318 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇧🇪 Vilvoorde
🕒 Local time
17:51 5:51 PM
23:51 11:51 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
40,558
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,619 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Vilvoorde 8,770 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Vilvoorde

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 Vilvoorde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Vilvoorde?
Yes – Vilvoorde is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $3,264 in Vilvoorde. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Vilvoorde, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $950 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Vilvoorde?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $79 in Vilvoorde. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Vilvoorde?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $2,176 in Vilvoorde. That makes Medellin about 25% cheaper.
Is $2,500 enough for either Medellin or Vilvoorde?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,639 in Medellin and $2,176 in Vilvoorde, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Vilvoorde?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $2,176 in Vilvoorde. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vilvoorde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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