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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $766 in Tagum City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,180 in Tagum City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,595 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 23% lower, Tagum City 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.52 ₱217

68.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.96 ₱861

134.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.84 ₱237

87.50%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.64 ₱101

3.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.82 ₱50.5

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.39 ₱24.35

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.34 ₱82.8

24.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.31 ₱80.6

136.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.89 ₱117

-43.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.23 ₱75.8

1.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.02 ₱62.7

36.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.03 ₱125

11.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.22 ₱507

-47.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.14 ₱255

41.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.66 ₱472

15.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.88 ₱178

-22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.60 ₱98.6

-32.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.61 ₱161

-41.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.54 ₱94.9

-11.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.21 ₱136

-48.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.52 ₱155

-55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.10 ₱68.0

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.72 ₱44.16

26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.82 ₱174

-17.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.93 ₱427

60.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.17 ₱72.1

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.99 ₱123

19.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.28 ₱17.38

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.78 ₱48.28

84.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.22 ₱13.48

768.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.08 ₱128

285.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.15 ₱70.8

-18.26%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-31.37%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

30.23%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$112 ₱6,909

-25.05%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$32.90 ₱2,030

-70.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$27.25 ₱1,681

-11.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$34.09 ₱2,102

-24.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.37 ₱270

335.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.99 ₱370

-34.56%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$152 ₱9,397

101.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,231 ₱261.0K

39.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$45.92 ₱2,832

26.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.09 ₱1,671

17.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$76.5 ₱4,718

30.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$53.3 ₱3,285

101.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$270 ₱16.6K

80.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$179 ₱11.0K

105.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$585 ₱36.1K

41.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$400 ₱24.7K

79.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,375 ₱146.5K

23.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$216 ₱13.3K

152.12%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $270 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 152% 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 $202 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,149 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 7% 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 $766, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.