Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chiayi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chiayi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,173 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,961 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,750 in Chiayi.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 12% less than in Chiayi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Chiayi 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.76 NT$214

-12.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$40.59 NT$1,285

-19.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.62 NT$178

28.11%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.17 NT$68.8

-21.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.13 NT$35.65

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.79 NT$24.90

-8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.88 NT$59.5

-11.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.01 NT$95.2

2.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$3.26 NT$103

-67.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.90 NT$60.2

-34.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.18 NT$101

-56.29%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.81 NT$89.1

-19.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$20.24 NT$641

-78.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$9.87 NT$313

-40.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$20.08 NT$635

-56.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$5.22 NT$165

-57.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.97 NT$93.9

-63.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.86 NT$90.5

-46.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.30 NT$136

-68.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.83 NT$89.5

-60.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.21 NT$69.8

-49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.97 NT$62.4

-56.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.33 NT$42.22

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.09 NT$129

-43.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.84 NT$153

129.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.75 NT$55.3

-32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.39 NT$75.7

-0.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.82 NT$25.95

-3.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$38.66 NT$1,224

6.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.95 NT$93.2

-51.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.41 NT$13.13

365.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$10.10 NT$320

-20.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.03 NT$32.58

-8.74%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$38.8K NT$1.2M

-53.86%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.1K NT$888.4K

-4.56%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$72.1 NT$2,280

16.53%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$18.85 NT$596

-49.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$24.69 NT$781

-2.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.78 NT$1,196

-31.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$15.13 NT$479

25.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$11.66 NT$369

-66.38%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$645 NT$20.4K

-52.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$18.8K NT$594.1K

-68.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$59.7 NT$1,889

-2.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$34.01 NT$1,077

-6.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$92.9 NT$2,941

7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$125 NT$3,952

-14.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$440 NT$13.9K

10.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$290 NT$9,186

26.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,034 NT$32.7K

-20.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$713 NT$22.6K

0.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$7,483 NT$236.8K

-60.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$5,182 NT$164.0K

-72.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$2,122 NT$67.1K

-74.29%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $440 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 289% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $41.00 in Chiayi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $383 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Chiayi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Chiayi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Chiayi earns 289% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $440 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,173 in Chiayi – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 6% less than in Chiayi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,173 in Chiayi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Chiayi. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,034 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Chiayi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Chiayi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.