Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tarlac City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tarlac City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $621 in Tarlac City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $954 in Tarlac City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,286 in Tarlac City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 63% more than Tarlac City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Tarlac City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tarlac City 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.70 ₱166

121.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$14.96 ₱922

119.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.51 ₱216

101.99%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.57 ₱96.7

8.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.87 ₱53.4

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.26 ₱15.95

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$0.99 ₱60.8

69.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.72 ₱106

78.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.66 ₱103

-34.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.54 ₱95.3

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.98 ₱60.7

40.82%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.02 ₱124

8.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.07 ₱560

-51.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.21 ₱198

75.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$5.91 ₱365

50.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.89 ₱178

-19.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.62 ₱99.6

-34.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.15 ₱132

-30.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.52 ₱94.0

-9.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.45 ₱89.2

-20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.18 ₱72.9

-1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.92 ₱56.9

-3.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.90 ₱55.4

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.78 ₱171

-17.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$3.76 ₱232

182.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.83 ₱50.9

44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.56 ₱96.5

58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.28 ₱17.30

207.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$7.93 ₱489

422.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.84 ₱51.7

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.22 ₱13.50

790.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.11 ₱130

266.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.15 ₱71.0

-17.39%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$28.6K ₱1.8M

-36.65%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

34.44%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$101 ₱6,199

-18.18%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$15.85 ₱977

-40.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$26.78 ₱1,651

-9.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$44.51 ₱2,745

-41.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$17.48 ₱1,078

8.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.27 ₱387

-37.32%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$170 ₱10.5K

81.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$14.0K ₱866.1K

-57.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$46.32 ₱2,856

26.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$26.53 ₱1,636

21.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$50.4 ₱3,109

103.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$37.32 ₱2,301

190.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$131 ₱8,057

264.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$103 ₱6,333

268.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$268 ₱16.5K

212.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$176 ₱10.9K

310.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$372 ₱23.0K

649.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$294 ₱18.1K

312.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$212 ₱13.1K

141.27%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tarlac City: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $131 in Tarlac 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 141% 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 $15.00 in Tarlac City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $181 – making Tarlac 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 Tarlac City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 63%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $932 in Tarlac City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tarlac 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 $15.00 in Tarlac City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $621 in Tarlac City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarlac City, where all-in costs run around $621, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Tarlac City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tarlac 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 Tarlac 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.