🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,122 in Hua-lien.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,878 in Hua-lien.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,634 in Hua-lien.
🙂Living in Medellin costs roughly 8% less than in Hua-lien, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Hua-lien16% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Hua-lien
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$4.14NT$131
43.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$34.47NT$1,091
-4.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$4.64NT$147
55.17%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$3.42NT$108
-50.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$0.95NT$29.97
15.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.61NT$19.22
18.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$1.27NT$40.10
31.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$1.95NT$61.7
58.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Hua-lien
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$3.15NT$99.7
-66.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$1.75NT$55.4
-28.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$4.28NT$136
-67.52%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$2.44NT$77.3
-7.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$13.80NT$437
-68.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$4.83NT$153
20.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$16.40NT$519
-46.16%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$4.44NT$141
-49.55%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$2.55NT$80.8
-57.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$4.06NT$128
-62.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$3.83NT$121
-64.23%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$4.41NT$140
-74.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$4.00NT$127
-72.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$2.55NT$80.6
-66.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$1.35NT$42.64
-32.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$5.15NT$163
-54.76%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$14.34NT$454
-22.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$2.25NT$71.3
-47.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$2.93NT$92.7
-19.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Hua-lien
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.81NT$25.69
-2.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
$39.41NT$1,247
4.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$3.35NT$106
-57.01%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$0.77NT$24.40
148.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$12.44NT$394
-35.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.03NT$32.69
-8.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$40.8KNT$1.3M
-56.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$29.0KNT$919.4K
-7.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Hua-lien
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$75.2NT$2,380
11.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$33.95NT$1,074
-71.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$25.35NT$802
-4.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Hua-lien
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$36.92NT$1,169
-29.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
$15.09NT$477
26.18%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$8.83NT$279
-55.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Hua-lien
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$806NT$25.5K
-62.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$15.2KNT$481.2K
-61.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Hua-lien
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$27.65NT$875
109.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$46.69NT$1,478
-31.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$70.0NT$2,216
42.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$126NT$3,990
-15.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Hua-lien
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$433NT$13.7K
12.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$292NT$9,227
26.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$1,046NT$33.1K
-21.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$719NT$22.8K
-0.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Hua-lien
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$2,928NT$92.7K
-81.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
1.57
755.41%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Hua-lien: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $433 in Hua-lien. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Hua-lien pays 437% 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 $34.00 in Hua-lien for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $357 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Hua-lien: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Hua-lien?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Hua-lien. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or Hua-lien?
On paper, Hua-lien earns 437% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin vs Hua-lien?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $433 in Hua-lien. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or Hua-lien?
Supermarket bills run roughly 88% higher in Hua-lien. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin vs Hua-lien?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $34.00 in Hua-lien. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Medellin or Hua-lien?
At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,122 in Hua-lien, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Hua-lien. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Hua-lien?
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.
How safe is Medellin compared to Hua-lien?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Hua-lien are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Hua-lien. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado