Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Taubate Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Taubate

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $719 in Taubate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,133 in Taubate, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,546 in Taubate, rent included.

Medellin costs about 43% more than Taubate, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Taubate are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Taubate 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.26 R$26.77

17.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$35.58 R$181

-8.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.11 R$31.12

20.13%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.92 R$9.76

-10.42%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.18 R$6.02

-11.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.68 R$3.45

13.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.85 R$9.43

-8.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.78 R$14.14

14.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.98 R$5.00

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.78 R$9.05

-26.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.40 R$7.14

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.94 R$9.88

11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.13 R$41.37

-46.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.52 R$17.92

67.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.26 R$36.96

19.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.93 R$9.81

18.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.51 R$7.68

-26.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.27 R$6.49

20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.50 R$7.65

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.27 R$6.48

-11.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.10 R$5.62

2.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.69 R$3.50

23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.61 R$3.09

49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.95 R$9.95

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.98 R$40.63

55.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.21 R$6.17

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.14 R$10.88

16.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.88 R$4.47

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$14.42 R$73.4

181.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.07 R$5.47

32.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.69 R$3.54

178.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.50 R$38.18

2.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.96 R$4.88

3.13%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$20.1K R$102.4K

-10.32%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.9K R$141.9K

-4.48%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$82.8 R$421

-2.34%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.61 R$43.84

15.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$19.17 R$97.6

26.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$21.19 R$108

18.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$10.61 R$54.0

80.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.44 R$32.77

-38.20%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$324 R$1,647

-5.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,442 R$27.7K

11.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.81 R$233

26.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$41.65 R$212

-22.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$75.7 R$385

33.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$57.1 R$291

88.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$240 R$1,221

98.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$174 R$884

116.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$494 R$2,515

70.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$302 R$1,539

141.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,608 R$8,188

99.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,147 R$5,841

19.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$563 R$2,864

9.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.33

18.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Taubate: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $240 in Taubate. 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 10% 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 $36.00 in Taubate. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $178 in Taubate – so Taubate wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Taubate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,079 in Taubate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taubate, 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 $36.00 in Taubate. 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 $719 in Taubate. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taubate, where all-in costs run around $719, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Taubate it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taubate – 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 Taubate. 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.