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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,165 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,965 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $2,766 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 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$6.91 NT$218

-13.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$40.53 NT$1,282

-18.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$5.78 NT$183

28.37%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.15 NT$68.1

-23.26%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$1.12 NT$35.51

-4.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.77 NT$24.48

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$1.89 NT$59.7

-8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.08 NT$97.6

3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$3.25 NT$103

-67.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.91 NT$60.5

-31.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$3.12 NT$98.7

-57.05%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.83 NT$89.5

-22.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$20.32 NT$643

-78.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$9.73 NT$308

-41.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$20.48 NT$648

-58.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$5.26 NT$166

-55.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$2.87 NT$90.7

-61.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$2.89 NT$91.5

-47.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$4.16 NT$131

-67.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$2.96 NT$93.8

-61.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$2.19 NT$69.2

-46.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.90 NT$60.1

-55.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$1.37 NT$43.29

-37.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$4.16 NT$131

-45.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$4.71 NT$149

146.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.82 NT$57.6

-34.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.44 NT$77.2

1.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.83 NT$26.30

-4.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$39.17 NT$1,239

4.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$2.90 NT$91.9

-49.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.45 NT$14.16

326.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$10.10 NT$319

-23.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$0.99 NT$31.19

2.02%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$37.4K NT$1.2M

-52.80%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$28.1K NT$888.0K

-5.75%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$73.0 NT$2,310

11.07%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$18.59 NT$588

-49.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$25.35 NT$802

-5.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$36.83 NT$1,165

-29.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$14.93 NT$472

25.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$11.74 NT$371

-65.16%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$647 NT$20.5K

-51.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$18.5K NT$586.1K

-67.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$57.5 NT$1,819

3.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$33.12 NT$1,048

-3.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$94.3 NT$2,984

7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$122 NT$3,866

-13.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$427 NT$13.5K

13.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$287 NT$9,077

27.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,034 NT$32.7K

-20.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$734 NT$23.2K

-0.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$7,466 NT$236.2K

-59.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$5,326 NT$168.5K

-75.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$2,156 NT$68.2K

-74.45%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $427 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 291% 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, salaries run 291% lower in Chiayi. 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: $485 in Medellin versus $427 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $1,165 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 4% less than in Chiayi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,165 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 $1,028 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.