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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,167 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,668 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Hsinchu costs about 16% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hsinchu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Hsinchu 12% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 NT$134

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-29.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.92 NT$1,095

$32.96 COP 103.8K

2.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 NT$174

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-27.73%

Cappuccino

$3.07 NT$99.0

$1.65 COP 5,207

86.06%

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

$0.92 NT$29.71

$1.10 COP 3,468

-16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$22.38

$0.78 COP 2,458

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 NT$53.9

$1.72 COP 5,412

-2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NT$74.8

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-27.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.18 NT$103

$1.10 COP 3,474

189.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 NT$57.2

$1.26 COP 3,962

40.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 NT$140

$1.38 COP 4,349

214.49%

Eggs

$2.52 NT$81.4

$2.18 COP 6,858

15.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.13 NT$456

$4.49 COP 14.1K

214.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 NT$155

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-16.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 NT$515

$8.97 COP 28.2K

77.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 NT$143

$2.32 COP 7,308

90.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NT$78.8

$1.06 COP 3,352

130.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 NT$91.4

$1.52 COP 4,774

86.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 NT$123

$1.36 COP 4,270

180.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 NT$94.7

$1.13 COP 3,552

159.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 NT$71.8

$1.17 COP 3,689

89.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 NT$60.2

$0.90 COP 2,838

106.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 NT$38.38

$0.90 COP 2,823

32.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 NT$146

$2.23 COP 7,034

103.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 NT$455

$12.12 COP 38.2K

16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 NT$55.4

$1.19 COP 3,743

43.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 NT$81.8

$2.48 COP 7,815

2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.09

$0.85 COP 2,687

2.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 NT$1,310

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-2.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$94.0

$1.42 COP 4,459

104.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 NT$23.36

$1.95 COP 6,141

-63.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 NT$199

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-21.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$33.21

$0.99 COP 3,118

4.04%

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

$35.2K NT$1.1M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

100.18%

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

$24.9K NT$805.0K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-6.98%

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

$74.1 NT$2,394

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-10.70%

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

$25.12 NT$811

$9.70 COP 30.5K

158.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.61 NT$795

$23.52 COP 74.1K

4.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 NT$1,431

$25.26 COP 79.5K

75.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.47 NT$758

$19.10 COP 60.1K

22.88%

Cinema Ticket

$10.16 NT$328

$3.95 COP 12.4K

157.22%

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

$423 NT$13.7K

$316 COP 994.2K

33.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K NT$359.8K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

86.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.8 NT$2,804

$60.0 COP 188.9K

44.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.85 NT$1,158

$31.82 COP 100.2K

12.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 NT$2,906

$102 COP 320.1K

-11.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,258

$107 COP 338.3K

-6.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 NT$18.0K

$475 COP 1.5M

17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 NT$11.7K

$374 COP 1.2M

-3.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 NT$38.7K

$849 COP 2.7M

41.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 NT$25.5K

$719 COP 2.3M

9.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,213 NT$265.2K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

151.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,061 NT$195.7K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

320.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,474 NT$79.9K

$624 COP 2.0M

296.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

13.43

-88.31%

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

Last update for Hsinchu: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $558 in Hsinchu versus $475 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 296% higher in Hsinchu, 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 $34.00 in Hsinchu versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $193 – 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

Hsinchu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hsinchu costs about 16% more than Medellin, 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 $1,750 per month in Hsinchu and $1,504 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.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $423 per month in Hsinchu and $316 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Hsinchu at $1,167. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hsinchu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,003 versus $1,167 in Hsinchu. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hsinchu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.