Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Taoyuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Taoyuan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,103 in Taoyuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,715 in Taoyuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,328 in Taoyuan, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Taoyuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Taoyuan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Taoyuan 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$5.13 NT$166

15.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$25.22 NT$816

30.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.12 NT$198

21.41%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.78 NT$89.9

-40.65%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.24 NT$39.97

-11.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.78 NT$25.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.63 NT$52.6

5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.40 NT$77.6

32.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$3.29 NT$106

-66.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.40 NT$45.25

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$2.39 NT$77.3

-42.26%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.29 NT$74.2

-4.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$9.25 NT$299

-51.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$8.06 NT$261

-28.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$15.83 NT$512

-43.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$3.30 NT$107

-29.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.90 NT$61.6

-44.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$2.73 NT$88.3

-44.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$2.99 NT$96.8

-54.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$2.35 NT$76.1

-51.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.88 NT$60.8

-37.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$2.55 NT$82.6

-64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.91 NT$29.43

-1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$6.37 NT$206

-64.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$10.67 NT$345

13.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.81 NT$58.7

-34.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.36 NT$76.5

5.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.66 NT$21.45

28.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$39.94 NT$1,292

4.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$3.03 NT$97.9

-53.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.72 NT$23.43

170.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$8.24 NT$266

-4.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.06 NT$34.27

-6.60%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$36.1K NT$1.2M

-51.30%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$26.9K NT$870.3K

-0.40%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$66.4 NT$2,146

25.11%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$29.10 NT$941

-66.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$18.97 NT$614

23.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$37.03 NT$1,198

-31.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$10.04 NT$325

90.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$10.15 NT$328

-61.08%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$582 NT$18.8K

-45.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$15.4K NT$499.7K

-61.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$81.3 NT$2,630

-26.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$23.97 NT$776

32.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$84.3 NT$2,725

20.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$103 NT$3,331

4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$418 NT$13.5K

13.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$351 NT$11.4K

6.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$832 NT$26.9K

2.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$598 NT$19.4K

20.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$7,335 NT$237.3K

-55.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$4,640 NT$150.1K

-68.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,505 NT$48.7K

-58.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

1.57

755.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Taoyuan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $418 in Taoyuan. 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 141% higher in Taoyuan, 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 $25.00 in Taoyuan. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $302 in Taoyuan – 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 Taoyuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taoyuan is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,655 in Taoyuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $25.00 in Taoyuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $1,103 in Taoyuan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Taoyuan at $1,103. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taoyuan 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.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taoyuan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.