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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,149 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,950 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,751 in Chiayi.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 13% less than in Chiayi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Chiayi 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.71 NT$217

-11.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$40.61 NT$1,311

-18.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.88 NT$190

26.36%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.24 NT$72.2

-26.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.16 NT$37.59

-5.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.77 NT$24.99

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.88 NT$60.8

-8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.98 NT$96.3

6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$3.21 NT$104

-65.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.90 NT$61.3

-33.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$3.03 NT$97.9

-54.46%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.92 NT$94.2

-25.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$19.98 NT$645

-77.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$9.89 NT$319

-41.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$20.10 NT$649

-55.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$5.12 NT$165

-54.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.87 NT$92.6

-63.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.76 NT$89.0

-44.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.12 NT$133

-66.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.83 NT$91.5

-60.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.17 NT$70.2

-46.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.88 NT$60.6

-52.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.33 NT$42.92

-32.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.06 NT$131

-45.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.78 NT$154

153.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.79 NT$58.0

-33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.43 NT$78.3

2.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.84 NT$27.07

1.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$39.58 NT$1,278

5.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.93 NT$94.6

-51.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.42 NT$13.43

364.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$10.02 NT$324

-21.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.04 NT$33.56

-4.81%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$37.9K NT$1.2M

-53.53%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.4K NT$883.6K

-2.07%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$72.4 NT$2,338

14.67%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$19.02 NT$614

-49.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$24.90 NT$804

-5.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$37.31 NT$1,205

-32.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$15.33 NT$495

24.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$11.98 NT$387

-67.03%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$644 NT$20.8K

-50.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$18.5K NT$596.1K

-67.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$59.1 NT$1,907

1.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$32.77 NT$1,058

-2.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$91.9 NT$2,969

10.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$123 NT$3,987

-12.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$426 NT$13.8K

11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$290 NT$9,369

28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,042 NT$33.6K

-18.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$720 NT$23.3K

-0.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$3,045 NT$98.3K

7.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,834 NT$59.2K

-21.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$2,116 NT$68.3K

-70.49%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $426 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 239% 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 $193 vs $379 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 15% 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 239% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $426 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,149 in Chiayi – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 5% less than in Chiayi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,149 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 $1,003 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 15% less than in Chiayi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.