Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chang-hua Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chang-hua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $904 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,361 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,819 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Medellin costs about 12% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Chang-hua are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Chang-hua 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.76 NT$118

59.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$27.15 NT$855

21.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.64 NT$178

25.71%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.84 NT$57.8

-7.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.88 NT$27.63

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.46 NT$14.54

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.45 NT$45.62

15.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.98 NT$62.3

55.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.76 NT$86.9

-60.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.91 NT$60.1

-34.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$3.17 NT$99.9

-56.47%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.91 NT$91.7

-24.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$17.14 NT$540

-74.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.81 NT$246

-27.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$20.15 NT$634

-55.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$5.22 NT$164

-55.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.89 NT$91.1

-63.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.75 NT$86.7

-45.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.23 NT$102

-57.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.75 NT$86.5

-58.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.19 NT$69.0

-47.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.87 NT$59.0

-52.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.81 NT$25.47

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.95 NT$124

-42.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$9.61 NT$302

10.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.56 NT$49.26

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.41 NT$75.8

2.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.72 NT$54.0

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$37.34 NT$1,175

10.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.95 NT$93.0

-50.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.78 NT$24.68

151.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.29 NT$324

-24.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.02 NT$32.18

-6.86%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$38.6K NT$1.2M

-52.99%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$27.5K NT$864.1K

-3.51%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$34.13 NT$1,074

140.99%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$18.70 NT$589

-49.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$20.26 NT$638

19.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$26.09 NT$821

-0.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$15.35 NT$483

23.78%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.07 NT$317

-60.97%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$643 NT$20.2K

-51.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,353 NT$262.9K

-28.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$53.8 NT$1,692

9.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$16.87 NT$531

91.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$84.1 NT$2,647

22.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$53.8 NT$1,692

101.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$312 NT$9,829

52.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$190 NT$5,974

99.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$546 NT$17.2K

53.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$189 NT$5,953

282.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$3,014 NT$94.9K

-7.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,682 NT$52.9K

-27.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$2,015 NT$63.4K

-74.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.19

513.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $312 in Chang-hua. 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 294% higher in Chang-hua, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Chang-hua. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $354 in Chang-hua – 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

Medellin vs Chang-hua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 12% more than Chang-hua, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,355 in Chang-hua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $904 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $904, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chang-hua costs $904 versus $1,013 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 Chang-hua. 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.