😐A single person spends $1,950 per month in Tervuren vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,978 per month in Tervuren vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,006 per month in Tervuren vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.
😐Tervuren costs about 92% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Tervuren sits 45% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.77€19.62
$5.95COP 20.8K
282.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.2€81.2
$33.33COP 116.3K
182.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.53€9.94
$7.23COP 25.2K
59.47%
Cappuccino
$4.14€3.57
$1.63COP 5,687
153.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.07€3.51
$1.09COP 3,821
273.39%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.47€2.99
$0.73COP 2,548
375.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.18€4.47
$1.74COP 6,065
197.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56€3.93
$3.23COP 11.3K
41.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.35€1.17
$1.05COP 3,662
28.57%
White Bread(500g)
$2.29€1.97
$1.29COP 4,515
77.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.98€2.57
$1.32COP 4,617
125.76%
Eggs
$3.41€2.94
$2.27COP 7,927
50.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.74€10.12
$4.35COP 15.2K
169.89%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.95€8.57
$5.88COP 20.5K
69.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.68€15.23
$8.61COP 30.0K
105.34%
Apples(1kg)
$2.35€2.03
$2.25COP 7,844
4.44%
Banana(1kg)
$2.32€2.00
$1.07COP 3,733
116.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.09€1.80
$1.52COP 5,322
37.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.33€2.01
$1.42COP 4,964
64.08%
Potato(1kg)
$2.14€1.85
$1.17COP 4,084
82.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.63€1.40
$1.17COP 4,077
39.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.96€0.83
$0.89COP 3,096
7.87%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26€1.09
$0.90COP 3,146
40.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.93€11.14
$2.25COP 7,837
474.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.47€6.43
$11.04COP 38.5K
-32.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95€1.68
$1.14COP 3,977
71.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12€1.83
$2.38COP 8,301
-10.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.84€2.45
$0.84COP 2,916
238.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$57.1€49.22
$41.95COP 146.4K
36.16%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.34€5.47
$1.41COP 4,912
349.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.54€2.19
$1.90COP 6,634
33.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.64€29.84
$7.75COP 27.0K
346.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.93€1.66
$1.01COP 3,509
91.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.6K€25.5K
$17.6KCOP 61.4M
68.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K€24.4K
$26.5KCOP 92.5M
7.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$182€156
$83.7COP 292.1K
117.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.16€18.23
$9.45COP 33.0K
123.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.88€41.25
$24.11COP 84.1K
98.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.44€33.12
$25.31COP 88.3K
51.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22€14.83
$19.14COP 66.8K
-10.03%
Cinema Ticket
$14.69€12.66
$4.10COP 14.3K
258.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$668€575
$312COP 1.1M
114.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.4K€11.6K
$5,993COP 20.9M
123.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104€90.0
$58.0COP 202.6K
80.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.60€28.09
$32.56COP 113.6K
0.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115€98.7
$99.6COP 347.7K
15.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134€115
$109COP 378.8K
23.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$914€787
$482COP 1.7M
89.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$744€641
$379COP 1.3M
96.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,368€1,179
$837COP 2.9M
63.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,088€937
$723COP 2.5M
50.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,917€3,375
$2,840COP 9.9M
37.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,038€2,617
$1,223COP 4.3M
148.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$541COP 1.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.42
13.43
-74.53%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tervuren: June 6, 2026
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $914 in Tervuren versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Tervuren versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 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
Tervuren vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Tervuren?
Yes – Tervuren is pricier by about 92%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,925 per month in Tervuren and $1,525 in Medellin. 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Tervuren or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Tervuren and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Tervuren vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,950 in Tervuren and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Tervuren or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Tervuren at $1,950. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tervuren it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tervuren or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Tervuren or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tervuren makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.