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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,198 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,934 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,670 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Hsinchu costs about 18% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hsinchu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Hsinchu 11% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.17 NT$132

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-29.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.17 NT$1,080

$33.33 COP 116.3K

2.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 NT$167

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-27.11%

Cappuccino

$3.05 NT$96.5

$1.63 COP 5,687

87.12%

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

$0.99 NT$31.28

$1.09 COP 3,821

-9.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 NT$22.09

$0.73 COP 2,548

-4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 NT$54.1

$1.74 COP 6,065

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 NT$73.6

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-27.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 NT$100

$1.05 COP 3,662

201.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 NT$58.6

$1.29 COP 4,515

43.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 NT$140

$1.32 COP 4,617

235.61%

Eggs

$2.57 NT$81.3

$2.27 COP 7,927

13.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 NT$437

$4.35 COP 15.2K

217.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 NT$156

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-15.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 NT$515

$8.61 COP 30.0K

89.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 NT$136

$2.25 COP 7,844

91.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NT$77.2

$1.07 COP 3,733

128.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 NT$86.7

$1.52 COP 5,322

80.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 NT$123

$1.42 COP 4,964

173.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 NT$94.3

$1.17 COP 4,084

154.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NT$68.6

$1.17 COP 4,077

85.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 NT$61.2

$0.89 COP 3,096

116.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NT$36.52

$0.90 COP 3,146

28.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 NT$140

$2.25 COP 7,837

96.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 NT$443

$11.04 COP 38.5K

26.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$54.8

$1.14 COP 3,977

51.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 NT$77.1

$2.38 COP 8,301

2.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.32

$0.84 COP 2,916

2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.31 NT$1,274

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-3.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 NT$89.4

$1.41 COP 4,912

100.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.70

$1.90 COP 6,634

-58.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 NT$191

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-22.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.89

$1.01 COP 3,509

5.94%

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

$34.5K NT$1.1M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

96.14%

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

$25.8K NT$814.6K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-2.74%

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

$76.1 NT$2,405

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-9.11%

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

$25.10 NT$793

$9.45 COP 33.0K

165.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.25 NT$798

$24.11 COP 84.1K

4.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 NT$1,396

$25.31 COP 88.3K

74.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.44 NT$741

$19.14 COP 66.8K

22.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 NT$315

$4.10 COP 14.3K

143.17%

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

$426 NT$13.5K

$312 COP 1.1M

36.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K NT$355.5K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

87.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 NT$2,714

$58.0 COP 202.6K

47.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 NT$1,105

$32.56 COP 113.6K

7.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 NT$2,835

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-9.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 NT$3,224

$109 COP 378.8K

-6.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 NT$17.6K

$482 COP 1.7M

15.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 NT$11.4K

$379 COP 1.3M

-5.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 NT$38.2K

$837 COP 2.9M

44.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 NT$24.9K

$723 COP 2.5M

8.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,423 NT$266.3K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

196.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,187 NT$195.6K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

405.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,462 NT$77.8K

$541 COP 1.9M

355.25%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $557 in Hsinchu versus $482 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 355% 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: $336 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 18% 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 $1,797 per month in Hsinchu and $1,525 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 4% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $426 per month in Hsinchu and $312 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 $1,017, than in Hsinchu at $1,198. 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 $1,017 versus $1,198 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.