Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tagum City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tagum City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $754 in Tagum City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,158 in Tagum City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,562 in Tagum City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Tagum City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Tagum City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tagum City 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.46 ₱210

71.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$14.43 ₱876

130.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.87 ₱235

86.82%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.73 ₱105

-5.78%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.78 ₱47.64

39.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.37 ₱22.23

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.36 ₱82.3

27.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.36 ₱82.3

137.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.82 ₱111

-42.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.26 ₱76.4

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.01 ₱61.1

30.69%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.09 ₱127

8.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.25 ₱501

-47.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.22 ₱256

39.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.74 ₱470

11.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.97 ₱181

-24.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.55 ₱94.0

-30.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.64 ₱160

-42.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.60 ₱97.0

-11.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.31 ₱140

-49.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.64 ₱161

-55.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.12 ₱68.1

-20.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.71 ₱43.27

26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.81 ₱171

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.21 ₱73.4

-5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.07 ₱126

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₱17.21

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.82 ₱49.49

71.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.24 ₱14.58

691.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.18 ₱132

255.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.09 ₱66.4

-7.34%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$27.0K ₱1.6M

-34.93%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

27.16%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$114 ₱6,900

-26.36%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$33.03 ₱2,006

-71.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$27.58 ₱1,674

-12.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$33.94 ₱2,061

-25.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.32 ₱262

343.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.82 ₱353

-29.55%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$149 ₱9,040

109.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,313 ₱261.9K

38.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$46.58 ₱2,828

24.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$26.66 ₱1,619

22.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$76.6 ₱4,653

30.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$52.7 ₱3,203

105.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$267 ₱16.2K

80.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$177 ₱10.7K

114.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$595 ₱36.1K

40.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$402 ₱24.4K

79.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$212 ₱12.9K

155.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $267 in Tagum 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 155% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Tagum City. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $190 in Tagum 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 Tagum City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,131 in Tagum City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tagum 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $14.00 in Tagum City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% 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 Tagum City, where all-in costs run around $754, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Tagum City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tagum 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 Tagum 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.