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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $631 in Tarlac City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $948 in Tarlac City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,266 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 23% lower, Tarlac City 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.64 ₱163

133.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$15.13 ₱933

115.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.65 ₱225

101.10%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.63 ₱101

5.52%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.88 ₱54.1

19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.26 ₱15.90

196.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.96 ₱59.2

76.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.76 ₱108

80.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.63 ₱101

-35.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.47 ₱90.6

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.99 ₱61.0

41.41%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.05 ₱126

5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.11 ₱562

-51.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.23 ₱199

82.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.14 ₱379

40.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.90 ₱179

-21.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.61 ₱99.1

-31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.10 ₱129

-27.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.52 ₱94.0

-11.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.37 ₱84.4

-17.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.13 ₱69.4

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.92 ₱56.8

-7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.88 ₱54.4

3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.87 ₱177

-18.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$3.88 ₱240

218.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.77 ₱47.24

55.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.52 ₱93.8

63.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.26 ₱15.88

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$8.14 ₱502

398.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.79 ₱48.65

79.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.24 ₱14.83

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.11 ₱130

263.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.17 ₱72.3

-15.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$28.8K ₱1.8M

-37.36%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.5K ₱1.2M

36.40%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$99.5 ₱6,139

-18.82%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$15.93 ₱982

-37.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$26.64 ₱1,643

-9.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$44.72 ₱2,758

-43.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$17.70 ₱1,092

8.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.28 ₱387

-36.62%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$170 ₱10.5K

79.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$14.4K ₱885.6K

-57.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.07 ₱2,780

28.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$26.21 ₱1,617

22.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$51.8 ₱3,194

94.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$37.47 ₱2,311

187.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$128 ₱7,895

272.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$100 ₱6,180

275.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$262 ₱16.1K

222.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$174 ₱10.7K

320.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$375 ₱23.1K

757.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$305 ₱18.8K

350.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$213 ₱13.1K

190.14%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tarlac City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $128 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 190% 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: $193 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $946 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $631 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 $631, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.