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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,957 per month in Rotterdam vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Rotterdam vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Rotterdam vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Rotterdam sits 121% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.59 €20.31

$5.99 COP 21.3K

293.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €78.5

$32.86 COP 116.9K

177.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.11

$7.09 COP 25.2K

98.45%

Cappuccino

$4.42 €3.80

$1.71 COP 6,093

158.48%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$1.10 COP 3,910

232.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.47

$0.78 COP 2,771

266.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$1.68 COP 5,976

310.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$3.07 COP 10.9K

92.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.09 COP 3,892

22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.26 COP 4,492

85.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$1.38 COP 4,905

136.23%

Eggs

$5.17 €4.45

$2.19 COP 7,799

136.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.77

$4.40 COP 15.7K

210.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 €12.31

$5.63 COP 20.0K

154.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 €14.51

$8.89 COP 31.6K

89.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.34 COP 8,319

10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.06 COP 3,764

133.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.50 COP 5,355

32.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.37

$1.38 COP 4,906

183.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.15 COP 4,097

74.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.16 COP 4,141

71.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.89 COP 3,170

53.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.84 COP 2,986

39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 €11.78

$2.28 COP 8,116

500.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 €6.36

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-30.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.20 COP 4,268

32.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.47 COP 8,793

8.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 €4.10

$0.86 COP 3,045

453.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 €78.3

$41.40 COP 147.3K

119.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.38

$1.47 COP 5,245

245.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.96 COP 6,984

5.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 €18.08

$7.74 COP 27.5K

171.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.95 COP 3,397

144.21%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

121.20%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

36.74%

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

$288 €248

$82.3 COP 292.7K

250.19%

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

$24.70 €21.26

$9.50 COP 33.8K

160.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €49.58

$24.23 COP 86.2K

137.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 €39.62

$25.89 COP 92.1K

77.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 €24.17

$19.00 COP 67.6K

47.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 €15.00

$3.93 COP 14.0K

343.26%

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

$2,223 €1,913

$309 COP 1.1M

618.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.1K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

135.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 €81.3

$58.7 COP 208.7K

61.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.44

$32.35 COP 115.1K

55.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$103 COP 365.1K

24.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 €157

$108 COP 385.8K

68.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 €1,527

$476 COP 1.7M

272.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 €1,280

$379 COP 1.3M

292.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 €2,470

$838 COP 3.0M

242.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 €1,967

$724 COP 2.6M

215.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,358

$2,791 COP 9.9M

123.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,977 €3,424

$1,211 COP 4.3M

228.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,564

$512 COP 1.8M

708.80%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Rotterdam versus $476 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 709% 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 $91.0 in Rotterdam versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $188 – 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 $4,435 per month in Rotterdam and $1,519 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 $91.0 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 $2,957 in Rotterdam and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Rotterdam at $2,957. 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.