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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,155 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,984 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,814 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

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$10.37 TTD 70.1

-42.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$87.3 TTD 590

-62.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$6.71 TTD 45.33

10.58%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$3.05 TTD 20.58

-45.90%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.00 TTD 6.79

7.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.73 TTD 4.91

4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.01 TTD 6.82

70.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.05 TTD 20.62

4.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.87 TTD 12.63

-43.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.58 TTD 10.69

-17.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.70 TTD 18.25

-50.37%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$3.61 TTD 24.39

-39.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$3.80 TTD 25.68

16.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.68 TTD 24.85

54.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$14.46 TTD 97.7

-41.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$5.66 TTD 38.25

-58.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.66 TTD 11.20

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$4.36 TTD 29.47

-65.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$4.86 TTD 32.86

-71.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.95 TTD 6.41

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.42 TTD 2.85

180.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.46 TTD 9.87

-42.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.46 TTD 9.84

-41.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$6.03 TTD 40.74

-62.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$18.89 TTD 128

-38.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.12 TTD 14.34

-43.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.79 TTD 18.87

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$1.05 TTD 7.11

-24.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.02 TTD 6.89

44.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.28 TTD 8.63

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$14.81 TTD 100

-47.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.42 TTD 2.84

140.48%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$33.6K TTD 227.3K

-47.52%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$32.5K TTD 219.7K

-18.65%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$80.0 TTD 541

1.34%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$46.50 TTD 314

-79.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$36.37 TTD 246

-34.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$51.4 TTD 348

-49.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$7.55 TTD 51.0

-45.83%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$327 TTD 2,206

-3.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$7,283 TTD 49.2K

-17.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$29.33 TTD 198

103.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$29.82 TTD 201

7.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$72.8 TTD 492

39.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$43.60 TTD 295

141.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$365 TTD 2,468

-0.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$893 TTD 6,032

-18.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Tacarigua: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $87.0 in Tacarigua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $294 – 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,732 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 $87.0 in Tacarigua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% 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 $1,028, than in Tacarigua at $1,155. 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.