Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tanay Rizal Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tanay Rizal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $829 in Tanay Rizal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,240 in Tanay Rizal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,651 in Tanay Rizal, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Tanay Rizal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Tanay Rizal are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tanay Rizal 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.45 ₱213

71.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$8.73 ₱539

275.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.46 ₱213

108.09%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.92 ₱180

-41.78%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.51 ₱31.58

115.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.28 ₱17.36

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.21 ₱74.4

38.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.19 ₱135

41.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.75 ₱108

-39.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.62 ₱100

-22.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.02 ₱62.7

36.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.05 ₱126

10.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.82 ₱482

-44.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.18 ₱319

12.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.77 ₱665

-18.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.31 ₱143

-3.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.59 ₱98.4

-32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.10 ₱191

-50.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.20 ₱74.1

14.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.73 ₱107

-34.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$3.50 ₱216

-68.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.10 ₱68.0

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.89 ₱54.8

2.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.81 ₱173

-17.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.85 ₱484

41.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.33 ₱82.0

-10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.41 ₱149

-1.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.28 ₱17.37

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.77 ₱47.73

87.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.24 ₱14.89

695.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.19 ₱135

266.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.04 ₱64.2

-9.62%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$27.8K ₱1.7M

-35.55%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$17.5K ₱1.1M

53.00%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$128 ₱7,894

-34.40%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$33.11 ₱2,042

-71.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$21.37 ₱1,318

13.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$33.88 ₱2,090

-23.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.49 ₱277

324.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.08 ₱375

-35.53%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$149 ₱9,173

105.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,277 ₱263.8K

38.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$26.88 ₱1,658

115.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$33.97 ₱2,095

-6.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$44.07 ₱2,718

126.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$116 ₱7,171

-7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$262 ₱16.2K

85.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$178 ₱11.0K

106.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$581 ₱35.9K

41.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$391 ₱24.1K

82.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,058 ₱126.9K

42.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.17

117.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tanay Rizal: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $262 in Tanay Rizal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $9.00 in Tanay Rizal. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $222 in Tanay Rizal – 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 Tanay Rizal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,243 in Tanay Rizal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tanay Rizal, 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 $9.00 in Tanay Rizal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tanay Rizal, where all-in costs run around $829, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Tanay Rizal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tanay Rizal – 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 Tanay Rizal. 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.