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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $523 in Tarlac City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $814 in Tarlac City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,104 in Tarlac City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 221% more than Tarlac City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tarlac City is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.94 ₱122

313.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$7.78 ₱488

515.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$2.72 ₱171

263.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.79 ₱112

74.86%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.49 ₱30.77

289.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.30 ₱18.95

403.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.02 ₱64.2

205.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.56 ₱97.7

268.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.61 ₱101

-10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.15 ₱71.9

116.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.02 ₱63.9

73.53%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.88 ₱118

57.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$4.94 ₱310

103.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.66 ₱167

280.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.11 ₱383

134.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.62 ₱101

155.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.59 ₱99.8

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.95 ₱123

15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.04 ₱65.2

116.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.74 ₱109

17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.21 ₱76.1

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.61 ₱38.25

91.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.50 ₱31.31

162.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.87 ₱180

35.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$3.81 ₱239

267.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.96 ₱60.3

81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.53 ₱96.1

87.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.25 ₱15.73

388.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$8.21 ₱515

880.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.75 ₱47.32

74.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.25 ₱15.70

776.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.31 ₱82.4

564.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.08 ₱68.0

26.85%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

29.97%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

85.50%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$88.2 ₱5,534

100.93%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$5.44 ₱341

155.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$23.40 ₱1,468

27.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$40.11 ₱2,516

11.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$16.16 ₱1,014

5.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.08 ₱319

30.91%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$131 ₱8,205

521.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$10.5K ₱661.4K

-12.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$28.77 ₱1,804

211.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$19.79 ₱1,242

197.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$63.1 ₱3,955

119.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$47.80 ₱2,998

113.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$87.7 ₱5,503

1110.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$71.1 ₱4,460

832.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$250 ₱15.6K

656.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$167 ₱10.4K

516.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$376 ₱23.6K

1013.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$290 ₱18.2K

477.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$215 ₱13.5K

215.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tarlac City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $87.7 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 216% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $8.00 in Tarlac City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $148 – 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 221%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $785 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $8.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $523 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 $523, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.