Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tarnow Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tarnow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,224 in Tarnow, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,704 in Tarnow, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,185 in Tarnow, rent included.

Medellin costs about 40% more than Tarnow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Tarnow is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$10.59 zł 39.34

-24.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$26.48 zł 98.3

82.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$6.71 zł 24.92

45.60%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.64 zł 9.82

10.23%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$2.25 zł 8.36

-13.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$1.31 zł 4.86

16.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$4.15 zł 15.40

-25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.98 zł 14.79

44.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$0.98 zł 3.64

38.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.22 zł 4.54

95.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.35 zł 5.02

25.93%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.65 zł 9.85

8.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$8.12 zł 30.17

22.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$6.22 zł 23.09

73.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$10.19 zł 37.83

44.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$0.79 zł 2.95

417.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.57 zł 5.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.36 zł 5.06

56.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$2.00 zł 7.41

10.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.79 zł 2.94

159.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.10 zł 4.07

36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.04 zł 3.87

14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.79 zł 2.95

46.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.44 zł 16.48

-12.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$6.54 zł 24.28

120.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$0.95 zł 3.53

66.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$1.46 zł 5.42

93.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.99 zł 3.69

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$31.60 zł 117

145.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.35 zł 5.02

-5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.77 zł 2.85

171.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$10.79 zł 40.06

-20.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.58 zł 5.87

-17.72%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$32.0K zł 119.0K

-13.67%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$25.7K zł 95.4K

38.19%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$252 zł 937

-30.23%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$9.85 zł 36.58

35.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$17.19 zł 63.8

73.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$26.33 zł 97.8

70.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$11.99 zł 44.52

42.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.89 zł 18.16

26.79%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$297 zł 1,103

167.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$2,616 zł 9,716

244.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$83.2 zł 309

2.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$26.53 zł 98.6

120.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$79.7 zł 296

70.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$116 zł 431

-11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$454 zł 1,688

133.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$363 zł 1,348

87.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$640 zł 2,378

214.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$488 zł 1,813

139.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$2,785 zł 10.3K

47.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,832 zł 6,806

-7.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,071 zł 3,980

-37.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.68

63.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tarnow: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $454 in Tarnow. 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 61% higher in Tarnow, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Tarnow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $192 – making Tarnow 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 Tarnow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 40%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,836 in Tarnow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tarnow, 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 $26.00 in Tarnow. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,224 in Tarnow. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarnow, where all-in costs run around $1,224, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Tarnow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tarnow – 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 Tarnow. 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.