Cost of Living Comparison Between Turnhout and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Turnhout and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,233 per month in Turnhout vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,247 per month in Turnhout vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,261 per month in Turnhout vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Turnhout costs about 30% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Turnhout and Medellin sit above the global median – Turnhout by 63%, Medellin by 25%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turnhout
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.03 €19.80
$8.03 COP 25.2K
186.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.9 €57.5
$48.26 COP 151.7K
38.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.41 €14.11
$9.77 COP 30.7K
67.96%
Cappuccino
$4.25 €3.66
$2.91 COP 9,149
46.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 €2.77
$1.94 COP 6,110
66.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 €2.52
$1.52 COP 4,783
92.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.51 €4.74
$3.09 COP 9,721
78.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.06 €4.35
$5.74 COP 18.1K
-11.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turnhout
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 €0.93
$1.36 COP 4,287
-19.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 €1.47
$2.39 COP 7,505
-28.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.31 €1.98
$1.70 COP 5,346
35.88%
Eggs
$4.27 €3.68
$2.87 COP 9,021
48.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.40 €8.94
$9.94 COP 31.2K
4.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.52 €8.19
$10.78 COP 33.9K
-11.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.14 €17.32
$14.73 COP 46.3K
36.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.91 €2.50
$4.09 COP 12.8K
-28.85%
Banana (1kg)
$2.55 €2.19
$1.57 COP 4,940
62.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.75 €2.36
$2.13 COP 6,682
29.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.05 €2.62
$2.21 COP 6,959
38.01%
Potato (1kg)
$2.29 €1.97
$2.05 COP 6,435
11.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.72
$1.50 COP 4,728
33.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 €1.01
$1.19 COP 3,740
-1.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 €0.94
$1.16 COP 3,640
-5.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.40 €11.52
$3.90 COP 12.2K
243.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.16 €4.44
$14.44 COP 45.4K
-64.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 €1.51
$1.58 COP 4,978
11.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 €2.21
$2.83 COP 8,889
-9.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Turnhout
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.87 €2.47
$1.17 COP 3,672
145.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.1 €44.76
$77.7 COP 244.3K
-33.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$11.70 €10.06
$1.28 COP 4,038
814.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.99 €2.57
$2.09 COP 6,576
43.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$53.4 €45.92
$8.62 COP 27.1K
519.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.94 €1.66
$1.30 COP 4,080
49.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K €32.3K
$27.7K COP 86.9M
35.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.1K €30.2K
$35.5K COP 111.6M
-1.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turnhout
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$227 €196
$176 COP 553.4K
29.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.54 €18.52
$13.37 COP 42.0K
61.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.05 €41.31
$29.89 COP 94.0K
60.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turnhout
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$129 €111
$44.76 COP 140.7K
188.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.48 €20.18
$17.06 COP 53.6K
37.63%
Cinema Ticket
$13.86 €11.91
$6.20 COP 19.5K
123.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turnhout
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$579 €498
$793 COP 2.5M
-26.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.5K €19.3K
$9,019 COP 28.4M
149.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turnhout
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$112 €96.1
$85.6 COP 269.1K
30.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.1 €43.03
$58.5 COP 183.8K
-14.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 €97.6
$136 COP 428.4K
-16.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$148 €127
$103 COP 324.1K
43.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turnhout
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$943 €811
$1,060 COP 3.3M
-11.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$822 €707
$680 COP 2.1M
21.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,287 €1,107
$2,012 COP 6.3M
-36.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,164 €1,001
$1,169 COP 3.7M
-0.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,111 COP 12.9M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,701 COP 5.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turnhout
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,678 €2,303
$665 COP 2.1M
302.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.2
10.94
-70.75%

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

Last update for Turnhout: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $943 in Turnhout versus $1,060 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 303% higher in Turnhout, 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 $67.0 in Turnhout versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Turnhout vs $303 in Medellin – so Turnhout wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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
Turnhout vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Turnhout?
Yes – Turnhout is pricier by about 30%, 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 $3,350 per month in Turnhout and $2,574 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 Turnhout or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Turnhout and $48.00 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 Turnhout and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,233 in Turnhout and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Turnhout or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Turnhout at $2,233. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Turnhout it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Turnhout 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, Turnhout 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, Turnhout makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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