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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,191 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,918 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,645 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Hsinchu costs about 15% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hsinchu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Hsinchu 11% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 NT$129

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-30.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.87 NT$1,069

$32.75 COP 119.1K

3.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 NT$167

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-26.39%

Cappuccino

$3.07 NT$96.9

$1.70 COP 6,186

80.59%

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

$0.99 NT$31.32

$1.10 COP 3,996

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$21.66

$0.72 COP 2,625

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 NT$52.7

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NT$73.8

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-24.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.28 NT$104

$1.06 COP 3,837

209.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 NT$58.5

$1.25 COP 4,531

48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 NT$142

$1.39 COP 5,060

223.74%

Eggs

$2.49 NT$78.7

$2.26 COP 8,229

10.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 NT$433

$4.33 COP 15.8K

216.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 NT$157

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-15.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 NT$507

$8.83 COP 32.1K

81.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 NT$142

$2.24 COP 8,159

100.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 NT$80.3

$1.08 COP 3,911

135.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 NT$90.6

$1.53 COP 5,563

87.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 NT$125

$1.37 COP 4,987

188.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 NT$96.2

$1.13 COP 4,109

169.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 NT$69.6

$1.12 COP 4,067

96.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 NT$61.0

$0.85 COP 3,080

127.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 NT$36.06

$0.91 COP 3,305

25.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 NT$142

$2.33 COP 8,477

92.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.38 NT$454

$11.13 COP 40.5K

29.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NT$54.9

$1.19 COP 4,342

46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 NT$81.5

$2.37 COP 8,617

8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 NT$28.33

$0.79 COP 2,859

13.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.39 NT$1,275

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-1.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$91.9

$1.44 COP 5,223

102.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.38

$1.91 COP 6,952

-61.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 NT$196

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-22.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.62

$0.94 COP 3,410

9.57%

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

$34.2K NT$1.1M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

90.93%

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

$25.0K NT$788.1K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-6.82%

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

$74.2 NT$2,344

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-11.58%

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

$25.03 NT$790

$9.60 COP 34.9K

160.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.51 NT$805

$24.16 COP 87.9K

5.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.10 NT$1,392

$25.88 COP 94.1K

70.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.28 NT$735

$19.04 COP 69.3K

22.27%

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 NT$316

$3.92 COP 14.2K

155.61%

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

$423 NT$13.4K

$306 COP 1.1M

38.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K NT$358.3K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

91.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.9 NT$2,806

$57.9 COP 210.6K

53.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.16 NT$1,110

$31.82 COP 115.7K

10.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 NT$2,862

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-9.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,266

$107 COP 389.7K

-3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 NT$17.4K

$487 COP 1.8M

13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 NT$11.6K

$368 COP 1.3M

-0.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 NT$39.1K

$826 COP 3.0M

49.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 NT$25.1K

$716 COP 2.6M

11.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,354 NT$263.7K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

185.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,175 NT$194.9K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

338.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,621 NT$82.8K

$546 COP 2.0M

380.51%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $551 in Hsinchu 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.

Salaries run about 381% 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: $340 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

Hsinchu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hsinchu costs about 15% 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 $1,786 per month in Hsinchu and $1,550 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 2% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $423 per month in Hsinchu and $306 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 $1,034, than in Hsinchu at $1,191. 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 $1,034 versus $1,191 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.