Cost of Living Comparison Between Hsinchu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hsinchu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,163 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,932 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,701 per month in Hsinchu vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Hsinchu is about 31% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hsinchu sits 15% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 NT$132

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-48.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.19 NT$897

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-41.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 NT$151

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-51.97%

Cappuccino

$2.97 NT$94.4

$3.13 COP 9,767

-5.11%

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

$0.90 NT$28.66

$1.91 COP 5,954

-52.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$21.94

$1.51 COP 4,712

-54.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 NT$61.7

$3.12 COP 9,747

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 NT$75.0

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-58.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 NT$90.4

$1.44 COP 4,509

97.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.7

$2.49 COP 7,759

-29.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 NT$95.0

$1.77 COP 5,535

68.36%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$90.6

$2.96 COP 9,235

-3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$36.84 NT$1,173

$10.07 COP 31.4K

265.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 NT$223

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-30.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.33 NT$679

$14.30 COP 44.6K

49.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 NT$86.9

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-34.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NT$81.4

$1.61 COP 5,019

59.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 NT$105

$2.25 COP 7,007

46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$97.3

$2.25 COP 7,028

36.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 NT$73.7

$2.04 COP 6,375

13.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 NT$74.3

$1.54 COP 4,790

51.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 NT$64.1

$1.17 COP 3,651

71.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 NT$43.17

$1.31 COP 4,077

3.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 NT$125

$3.90 COP 12.2K

0.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 NT$400

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-10.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 NT$61.5

$1.74 COP 5,439

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 NT$77.6

$2.87 COP 8,956

-14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 NT$19.70

$1.22 COP 3,792

-49.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.60 NT$1,261

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-50.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 NT$97.9

$1.31 COP 4,084

135.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 NT$10.59

$2.19 COP 6,825

-84.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 NT$320

$8.71 COP 27.2K

15.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.84

$1.37 COP 4,260

-24.82%

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

$33.4K NT$1.1M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

20.01%

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

$26.7K NT$851.1K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-25.26%

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

$101 NT$3,211

$177 COP 553.2K

-43.11%

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

$19.53 NT$622

$13.88 COP 43.3K

40.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.61 NT$688

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-27.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 NT$1,681

$44.88 COP 140.1K

17.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$9.96 NT$317

$6.65 COP 20.7K

49.77%

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

$744 NT$23.7K

$813 COP 2.5M

-8.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$535.6K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

83.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 NT$1,818

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-36.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.83 NT$1,141

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-39.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 NT$2,492

$138 COP 431.2K

-43.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NT$3,375

$102 COP 318.7K

3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 NT$14.0K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-58.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 NT$8,311

$663 COP 2.1M

-60.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 NT$36.1K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-39.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 NT$23.9K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-26.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,143 NT$259.2K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

94.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,177 NT$196.6K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

268.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,539 NT$80.8K

$678 COP 2.1M

274.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.13

10.94

-80.53%

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

Last update for Hsinchu: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Hsinchu versus $1,062 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 275% higher in Hsinchu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Hsinchu versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Hsinchu vs $305 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Hsinchu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 45% more than Hsinchu, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,744 per month in Hsinchu and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hsinchu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 103% less in Hsinchu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $744 per month in Hsinchu and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hsinchu, where all-in costs run around $1,163, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Hsinchu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hsinchu costs $1,163 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Hsinchu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.