Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tartus Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tartus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $481 in Tartus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $740 in Tartus, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $999 in Tartus, rent included.

Medellin costs about 111% more than Tartus, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Tartus are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tartus 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.05 SYP 669

-0.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$27.02 SYP 2,986

21.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.38 SYP 594

31.78%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$0.76 SYP 84.4

125.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.14 SYP 126

-3.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.72 SYP 79.2

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.56 SYP 172

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.46 SYP 272

24.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.00 SYP 111

9.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.58 SYP 64.2

117.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.53 SYP 169

-9.80%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.36 SYP 150

61.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.13 SYP 346

40.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.69 SYP 850

-26.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.93 SYP 876

12.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$0.87 SYP 95.8

168.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.24 SYP 137

-14.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.03 SYP 114

45.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.95 SYP 104

45.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.63 SYP 69.4

82.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.66 SYP 73.0

75.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.38 SYP 41.94

134.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.62 SYP 68.3

35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.04 SYP 336

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.80 SYP 640

83.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.98 SYP 108

22.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.83 SYP 202

34.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.62 SYP 69.0

137.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.22 SYP 134

60.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.58 SYP 727

17.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.18 SYP 131

-19.49%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

-2.06%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.8K SYP 2.3M

27.41%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$102 SYP 11.3K

-19.28%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.44 SYP 933

12.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$35.28 SYP 3,898

-31.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$11.96 SYP 1,322

116.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.04 SYP 336

29.28%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$43.54 SYP 4,811

610.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,838 SYP 203.1K

224.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$20.10 SYP 2,221

191.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$25.63 SYP 2,832

26.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$45.41 SYP 5,018

125.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$40.25 SYP 4,447

169.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$98.8 SYP 10.9K

381.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$50.8 SYP 5,607

908.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.75

-2.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tartus: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $98.8 in Tartus. 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 908% 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 $27.00 in Tartus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $152 – making Tartus 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 Tartus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 111%, 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 $721 in Tartus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tartus, 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 $27.00 in Tartus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tartus, where all-in costs run around $481, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Tartus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tartus – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Tartus. 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.