Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rotterdam and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,966 per month in Rotterdam vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,283 per month in Rotterdam vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,599 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Rotterdam costs about 192% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Rotterdam sits 120% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.40 €19.92

$6.14 COP 22.2K

281.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.6 €78.8

$33.05 COP 119.3K

180.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.61

$7.32 COP 26.4K

86.34%

Cappuccino

$4.47 €3.81

$1.66 COP 5,987

169.28%

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

$3.65 €3.10

$1.10 COP 3,987

231.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.46

$0.78 COP 2,822

270.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.86

$1.71 COP 6,188

302.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 €5.00

$3.17 COP 11.5K

85.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.16

$1.11 COP 4,012

22.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.05

$1.31 COP 4,719

83.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 €2.69

$1.38 COP 4,980

128.99%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.51

$2.22 COP 8,009

138.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.86 €11.79

$4.34 COP 15.7K

219.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.35 €12.21

$5.80 COP 20.9K

147.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 €14.33

$8.98 COP 32.4K

87.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.31

$2.26 COP 8,164

19.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.09

$1.11 COP 4,023

121.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 €1.76

$1.46 COP 5,284

41.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 €3.31

$1.37 COP 4,929

183.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.71

$1.11 COP 4,009

81.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.16 COP 4,199

70.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.16

$0.89 COP 3,211

52.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.95

$0.87 COP 3,124

28.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.09 €11.99

$2.35 COP 8,495

499.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 €6.24

$10.86 COP 39.2K

-32.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.20 COP 4,330

25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.24

$2.48 COP 8,946

6.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.50 €3.83

$0.79 COP 2,842

469.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.6 €76.2

$40.77 COP 147.2K

119.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 €4.37

$1.42 COP 5,137

261.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 €1.72

$1.91 COP 6,900

5.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.13 €17.98

$7.65 COP 27.6K

176.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.91

$0.97 COP 3,490

130.93%

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

$40.4K €34.4K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

123.32%

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

$36.3K €30.9K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

38.15%

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

$280 €239

$81.3 COP 293.5K

244.83%

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

$24.54 €20.88

$9.63 COP 34.8K

154.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 €47.94

$24.36 COP 88.0K

131.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.78 €39.81

$26.02 COP 93.9K

79.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.36 €24.13

$18.92 COP 68.3K

49.89%

Cinema Ticket

$17.18 €14.62

$3.89 COP 14.0K

341.65%

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

$2,246 €1,911

$304 COP 1.1M

638.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K €11.8K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

134.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €78.2

$58.7 COP 211.8K

56.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 €42.74

$32.48 COP 117.2K

54.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 €109

$102 COP 367.3K

26.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 €151

$108 COP 390.4K

64.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 €1,495

$474 COP 1.7M

270.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 €1,235

$371 COP 1.3M

291.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 €2,400

$848 COP 3.1M

232.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 €1,977

$716 COP 2.6M

224.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,081 €5,175

$2,871 COP 10.4M

111.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,185 €3,561

$1,375 COP 5.0M

204.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,260 €3,625

$542 COP 2.0M

686.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

13.43

-69.62%

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

Last update for Rotterdam: April 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,757 in Rotterdam versus $474 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 687% higher in Rotterdam, 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 $93 in Rotterdam versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $190 – 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

Rotterdam vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rotterdam is pricier by about 192%, 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 $4,449 per month in Rotterdam and $1,522 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Rotterdam and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,966 in Rotterdam and $1,014 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Rotterdam at $2,966. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotterdam 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, Rotterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.