Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kaohsiung Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kaohsiung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,159 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,912 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,666 in Kaohsiung.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Kaohsiung 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.16 NT$134

42.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$34.09 NT$1,101

-3.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.46 NT$176

36.08%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.99 NT$96.5

-44.82%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.03 NT$33.19

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.72 NT$23.25

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.66 NT$53.7

3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.77 NT$89.5

14.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$3.54 NT$114

-68.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.07 NT$66.7

-39.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.60 NT$84.0

-46.92%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.32 NT$107

-34.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$15.78 NT$510

-71.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$9.24 NT$298

-37.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$17.93 NT$579

-49.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$5.99 NT$194

-61.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.59 NT$83.5

-59.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.78 NT$89.9

-45.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.03 NT$130

-66.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.98 NT$96.3

-62.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.24 NT$72.5

-47.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.92 NT$61.9

-53.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.14 NT$36.95

-21.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.34 NT$140

-48.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$15.18 NT$490

-20.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.65 NT$53.4

-27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.45 NT$79.2

1.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.81 NT$26.16

4.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$27.16 NT$877

53.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.94 NT$94.8

-51.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.73 NT$23.55

167.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.03 NT$195

30.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.07 NT$34.53

-7.48%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.2K NT$1.1M

-48.50%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$25.7K NT$831.4K

4.08%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$105 NT$3,391

-20.94%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$25.44 NT$821

-61.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$24.82 NT$802

-5.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$38.49 NT$1,243

-34.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$11.37 NT$367

67.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$10.36 NT$335

-61.87%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$427 NT$13.8K

-25.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$11.3K NT$364.0K

-46.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$95.0 NT$3,067

-36.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$36.22 NT$1,170

-12.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$89.4 NT$2,886

13.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$103 NT$3,317

4.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$448 NT$14.5K

6.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$280 NT$9,030

33.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$925 NT$29.9K

-8.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$690 NT$22.3K

4.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$4,510 NT$145.6K

-27.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$3,159 NT$102.0K

-54.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,463 NT$47.2K

-57.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.3

483.91%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $448 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaohsiung pays 134% 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 Kaohsiung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $382 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 Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Kaohsiung differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $1,159 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 134% lower in Kaohsiung. 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 $448 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $427 in Kaohsiung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 98% higher in Kaohsiung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,159 in Kaohsiung, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kaohsiung. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Kaohsiung 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 16% less than in Kaohsiung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.