Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tacarigua Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tacarigua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,159 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,005 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,851 in Tacarigua, rent included.

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Tacarigua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Tacarigua are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tacarigua 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$10.30 TTD 70.0

-42.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$88.8 TTD 603

-63.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$6.78 TTD 46.01

6.19%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$3.03 TTD 20.58

-43.89%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$1.01 TTD 6.84

8.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.72 TTD 4.90

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$1.05 TTD 7.16

59.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$3.13 TTD 21.26

-0.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.90 TTD 12.88

-44.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$1.67 TTD 11.35

-25.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$2.59 TTD 17.58

-46.33%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$3.60 TTD 24.42

-37.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$3.59 TTD 24.37

20.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$3.69 TTD 25.05

58.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$14.51 TTD 98.5

-39.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$5.66 TTD 38.42

-60.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.67 TTD 11.33

-35.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$4.43 TTD 30.10

-65.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$4.77 TTD 32.38

-71.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$0.96 TTD 6.54

17.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$0.46 TTD 3.12

143.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$1.52 TTD 10.29

-44.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$1.41 TTD 9.60

-35.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$6.07 TTD 41.19

-61.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$19.49 TTD 132

-42.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$2.22 TTD 15.04

-46.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$2.78 TTD 18.90

-14.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$1.00 TTD 6.81

-21.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$1.02 TTD 6.91

41.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$1.27 TTD 8.60

50.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$14.83 TTD 101

-45.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.46 TTD 3.13

104.35%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$34.1K TTD 231.9K

-47.52%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$33.1K TTD 224.6K

-19.00%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$81.6 TTD 554

2.87%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$45.92 TTD 312

-79.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$36.90 TTD 251

-34.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$51.2 TTD 347

-49.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$7.20 TTD 48.90

-45.56%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$325 TTD 2,207

-5.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$7,240 TTD 49.2K

-18.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$29.63 TTD 201

95.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$30.02 TTD 204

6.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$75.3 TTD 511

32.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$43.56 TTD 296

145.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$375 TTD 2,548

-1.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$877 TTD 5,958

-18.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.38

149.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tacarigua: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $89.0 in Tacarigua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $296 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Tacarigua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tacarigua is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,739 in Tacarigua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $89.0 in Tacarigua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Tacarigua, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Tacarigua at $1,159. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tacarigua it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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