Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tarapoto Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tarapoto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $105 in Tarapoto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $226 in Tarapoto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $347 in Tarapoto, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1419% more than Tarapoto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Tarapoto is 92% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

$2.84 PEN 9.78

182.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.3K

$29.08 PEN 100

60.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.5K

$7.23 PEN 24.89

30.43%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,398

$2.94 PEN 10.14

-1.02%

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

$1.75 COP 5,657

$0.75 PEN 2.60

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,273

$0.56 PEN 1.93

135.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$2.92 PEN 10.06

7.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

$3.20 PEN 11.03

73.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,553

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,878

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,258

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,107

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.4K

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,780

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,856

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,271

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,171

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,228

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,706

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,074

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,149

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,282

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,779

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 242.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,108

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,616

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,098

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

$26.8K COP 86.4M

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

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

$162 COP 523.6K

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

$13.12 COP 42.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

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

$764 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 274.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 425.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 309.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

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: October 6, 2026

Last update for Tarapoto: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Tarapoto. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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 Tarapoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1419%, 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 $2,384 per month in Medellin and $157 in Tarapoto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,589 in Medellin and $105 in Tarapoto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $29.00 in Tarapoto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tarapoto, where all-in costs run around $105, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Tarapoto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tarapoto – 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 Tarapoto. 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.