😐A single person spends $2,001 per month in Tervuren vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,936 per month in Tervuren vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,870 per month in Tervuren vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
😐Tervuren costs about 94% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Tervuren sits 49% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.80€19.52
$5.92COP 21.4K
285.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.9€77.8
$32.75COP 118.2K
177.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.37€9.73
$7.20COP 26.0K
57.92%
Cappuccino
$4.36€3.74
$1.70COP 6,140
156.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01€3.43
$1.10COP 3,966
264.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36€2.88
$0.72COP 2,605
366.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.09€4.36
$1.67COP 6,022
204.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.50€3.86
$3.10COP 11.2K
45.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.36€1.16
$1.06COP 3,809
28.30%
White Bread(500g)
$2.30€1.97
$1.25COP 4,497
84.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.99€2.56
$1.39COP 5,022
115.11%
Eggs
$3.45€2.95
$2.26COP 8,168
52.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.78€10.08
$4.33COP 15.6K
172.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.59€8.21
$5.84COP 21.1K
64.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.69€15.15
$8.83COP 31.9K
100.34%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24€1.92
$2.24COP 8,099
-
Banana(1kg)
$2.24€1.92
$1.08COP 3,882
107.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.05€1.76
$1.53COP 5,522
33.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.37€2.03
$1.37COP 4,950
72.99%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16€1.85
$1.13COP 4,078
91.15%
Onion(1kg)
$1.59€1.36
$1.12COP 4,036
41.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90€0.77
$0.85COP 3,057
5.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22€1.05
$0.91COP 3,281
34.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.57€10.76
$2.33COP 8,414
439.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.43€6.36
$11.13COP 40.2K
-33.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92€1.64
$1.19COP 4,309
61.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16€1.85
$2.37COP 8,553
-8.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.84€2.43
$0.79COP 2,838
259.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$55.7€47.66
$41.13COP 148.5K
35.35%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.42€5.49
$1.44COP 5,184
345.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.64€2.26
$1.91COP 6,901
38.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.32€29.37
$8.02COP 28.9K
327.93%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.85€1.58
$0.94COP 3,385
96.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K€26.0K
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
69.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K€24.0K
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
4.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$179€153
$84.0COP 303.1K
113.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.07€18.03
$9.60COP 34.7K
119.48%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.77€41.75
$24.16COP 87.2K
101.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.02€32.54
$25.88COP 93.4K
46.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.69€14.29
$19.04COP 68.7K
-12.34%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28€12.23
$3.92COP 14.1K
264.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$668€572
$306COP 1.1M
118.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.7K€11.7K
$5,919COP 21.4M
131.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105€89.9
$57.9COP 209.1K
81.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.04€28.28
$31.82COP 114.9K
3.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$116€99.5
$99.9COP 360.6K
16.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134€114
$107COP 386.8K
24.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$886€759
$487COP 1.8M
82.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$742€635
$368COP 1.3M
101.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,360€1,164
$826COP 3.0M
64.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,103€944
$716COP 2.6M
54.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,625€3,103
$2,925COP 10.6M
23.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,504€2,144
$1,407COP 5.1M
78.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tervuren
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$546COP 2.0M
-
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: April 28, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $886 in Tervuren versus $487 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 $91.0 in Tervuren versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 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 94%, 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 $3,002 per month in Tervuren and $1,550 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 $91.0 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 $2,001 in Tervuren and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Tervuren at $2,001. 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.