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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $434 in Tagum City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $541 in Tagum City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $647 in Tagum City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 278% more than Tagum City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Tagum City is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$5.63 ₱353

42.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$12.88 ₱807

274.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.10 ₱320

84.71%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$2.26 ₱141

30.09%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$1.89 ₱118

69.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.41 ₱88.1

304.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$1.62 ₱102

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$1.87 ₱117

54.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.86 ₱493

80.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$6.55 ₱411

-39.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$1.32 ₱83.0

29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$0.25 ₱15.71

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$1.16 ₱72.7

17.24%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$55.5 ₱3,478

204.16%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$8.12 ₱509

67.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$27.63 ₱1,732

2.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$24.32 ₱1,525

87.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$3.31 ₱208

100.91%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$157 ₱9,829

583.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$129 ₱8,079

406.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$322 ₱20.2K

497.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$206 ₱12.9K

217.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $157 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 218% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $13.00 in Tagum City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $87.0 – making Tagum City 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 Tagum City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 278%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $652 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.

Groceries cost about 246% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $13.00 in Tagum City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tagum City, where all-in costs run around $434, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.