Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and New Taipei City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and New Taipei City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,239 in New Taipei City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,038 in New Taipei City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,837 in New Taipei City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 36% more than New Taipei City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while New Taipei City is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$4.70 NT$150

70.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$31.51 NT$1,003

51.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.23 NT$167

89.10%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.24 NT$71.3

39.73%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.88 NT$28.06

117.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.56 NT$17.95

169.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.67 NT$53.3

86.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.45 NT$78.1

134.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$3.08 NT$98.2

-53.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.82 NT$57.8

36.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.20 NT$70.0

-19.55%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.19 NT$69.6

35.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$25.19 NT$802

-60.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$10.60 NT$338

-4.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$18.94 NT$603

-24.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$4.13 NT$131

0.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.44 NT$77.8

-34.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.81 NT$89.7

-19.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$3.99 NT$127

-43.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$4.02 NT$128

-49.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.07 NT$66.1

-25.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.64 NT$52.1

-28.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.04 NT$33.18

25.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.46 NT$142

-12.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$8.89 NT$283

57.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.49 NT$47.31

16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.01 NT$64.0

42.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.82 NT$26.20

48.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$37.92 NT$1,208

112.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$2.82 NT$89.9

-53.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.99 NT$31.63

121.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$9.69 NT$309

-10.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.01 NT$32.02

35.64%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$33.9K NT$1.1M

-17.96%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$24.4K NT$776.1K

46.81%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$112 NT$3,560

58.63%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$16.69 NT$532

-16.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$22.96 NT$731

29.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$39.29 NT$1,251

14.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$7.78 NT$248

120.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$12.64 NT$402

-47.39%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$650 NT$20.7K

25.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$21.2K NT$676.5K

-56.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$35.16 NT$1,120

154.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$31.25 NT$995

88.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$93.8 NT$2,987

47.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$99.4 NT$3,164

2.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$646 NT$20.6K

64.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$340 NT$10.8K

94.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,396 NT$44.5K

35.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$926 NT$29.5K

10.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$12.4K NT$394.5K

-66.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$7,248 NT$230.9K

-76.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,391 NT$44.3K

-51.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.81

289.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for New Taipei City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $646 in New Taipei City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 105% higher in New Taipei City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in New Taipei City. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $383 in New Taipei City – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 New Taipei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,859 in New Taipei City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in New Taipei City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in New Taipei City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,239 in New Taipei City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in New Taipei City, where all-in costs run around $1,239, than in Medellin at $1,681. In New Taipei City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward New Taipei City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with New Taipei City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.