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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,148 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,976 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,804 in Tacarigua, rent included.

Medellin is about 13% cheaper than Tacarigua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Tacarigua are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Tacarigua 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.29 TTD 69.1

-42.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$89.5 TTD 601

-63.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.85 TTD 45.97

8.47%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.94 TTD 19.73

-43.88%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.05 TTD 7.08

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.73 TTD 4.89

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.05 TTD 7.02

63.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.15 TTD 21.13

0.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.89 TTD 12.71

-41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.62 TTD 10.85

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.71 TTD 18.22

-49.08%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.61 TTD 24.26

-39.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.65 TTD 24.54

23.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.72 TTD 24.98

55.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$14.19 TTD 95.3

-36.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$5.71 TTD 38.36

-59.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.60 TTD 10.74

-33.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$4.28 TTD 28.74

-64.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.61 TTD 30.92

-70.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.95 TTD 6.37

18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.42 TTD 2.82

178.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.45 TTD 9.71

-37.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.41 TTD 9.50

-36.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.84 TTD 39.20

-61.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$17.88 TTD 120

-32.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.13 TTD 14.33

-44.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.73 TTD 18.33

-9.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.00 TTD 6.73

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.02 TTD 6.82

39.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.28 TTD 8.62

52.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$14.67 TTD 98.5

-46.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.42 TTD 2.81

135.71%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$33.9K TTD 227.4K

-48.03%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$32.9K TTD 220.9K

-18.53%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$81.1 TTD 545

2.37%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$46.14 TTD 310

-78.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$36.73 TTD 247

-35.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$51.7 TTD 347

-51.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.47 TTD 50.1

-47.12%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$326 TTD 2,187

-3.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,288 TTD 48.9K

-18.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$30.12 TTD 202

99.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$29.72 TTD 200

7.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$74.7 TTD 501

36.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$44.92 TTD 302

139.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$364 TTD 2,442

2.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$893 TTD 5,995

-19.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tacarigua: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $90.0 in Tacarigua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $289 – 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 15%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,722 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 $90.0 in Tacarigua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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 $1,003, than in Tacarigua at $1,148. 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.