Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pingtung city Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pingtung city

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $897 in Pingtung city, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,476 in Pingtung city, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,054 in Pingtung city, rent included.

Medellin costs about 87% more than Pingtung city, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Pingtung city is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$5.50 NT$175

45.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$31.63 NT$1,007

51.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.74 NT$151

108.65%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.83 NT$90.2

10.60%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.99 NT$31.57

92.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.72 NT$22.76

109.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.55 NT$49.50

101.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.51 NT$79.7

129.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$3.31 NT$105

-56.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.26 NT$71.9

10.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.90 NT$92.5

-38.97%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.59 NT$82.3

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$15.16 NT$483

-33.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$8.00 NT$255

26.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$15.16 NT$482

-5.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.44 NT$141

-6.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.96 NT$62.5

-17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.79 NT$57.0

25.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.13 NT$99.8

-28.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.24 NT$39.36

64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.95 NT$62.0

-21.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.43 NT$77.4

-51.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.90 NT$28.73

45.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.76 NT$120

3.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$16.00 NT$509

-12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.63 NT$51.8

6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.15 NT$68.3

33.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.46 NT$14.59

165.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.61 NT$83.0

-49.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.76 NT$24.25

188.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$6.13 NT$195

42.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.04 NT$33.11

31.73%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$33.9K NT$1.1M

-18.00%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$23.9K NT$760.2K

49.80%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$110 NT$3,510

60.79%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$14.77 NT$470

-6.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$26.72 NT$851

11.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$9.99 NT$318

-33.43%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$347 NT$11.0K

134.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$14.1K NT$447.6K

-34.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$68.7 NT$2,187

30.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$34.58 NT$1,101

70.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$86.0 NT$2,737

60.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$100 NT$3,194

1.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$247 NT$7,876

329.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$155 NT$4,931

328.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$730 NT$23.2K

158.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$374 NT$11.9K

174.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,962 NT$62.5K

-65.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.27

381.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pingtung city: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $247 in Pingtung 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 190% higher in Pingtung 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 Pingtung city. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $338 in Pingtung 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 Pingtung city: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 87%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,346 in Pingtung city. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pingtung 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 Pingtung city. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pingtung city, where all-in costs run around $897, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Pingtung city it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pingtung 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 Pingtung 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.