Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Taza Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Taza

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $597 in Taza, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $968 in Taza, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,338 in Taza, rent included.

Medellin costs about 73% more than Taza, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Taza are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Taza 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.93 MAD 36.35

50.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$19.17 MAD 177

70.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.44 MAD 59.5

11.80%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.68 MAD 15.50

1.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.63 MAD 5.79

74.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.37 MAD 3.45

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$5.58 MAD 51.7

-70.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.99 MAD 36.91

-22.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.82 MAD 7.59

29.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.51 MAD 4.68

145.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.90 MAD 17.54

-26.84%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.92 MAD 17.73

17.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$12.94 MAD 120

-66.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.15 MAD 56.9

-5.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.83 MAD 109

-25.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.79 MAD 7.32

183.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.42 MAD 13.17

-23.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.77 MAD 7.14

98.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.58 MAD 5.33

136.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.42 MAD 3.87

169.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.42 MAD 3.87

166.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.40 MAD 3.67

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.61 MAD 5.67

49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.38 MAD 40.54

-46.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.81 MAD 72.3

42.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.42 MAD 22.42

-50.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.49 MAD 23.00

-4.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.37 MAD 3.42

113.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$14.21 MAD 131

189.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.53 MAD 4.87

171.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.72 MAD 6.70

165.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.72 MAD 25.18

194.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.46 MAD 13.49

-35.62%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$37.0K MAD 342.0K

-51.53%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$29.3K MAD 271.2K

-8.62%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$34.40 MAD 318

144.07%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$11.18 MAD 103

-14.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$39.75 MAD 368

-39.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$16.77 MAD 155

54.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$23.41 MAD 217

-18.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.27 MAD 39.48

-8.20%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$81.8 MAD 756

274.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,536 MAD 60.5K

-9.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$22.28 MAD 206

159.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$25.42 MAD 235

25.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$106 MAD 978

-5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$73.9 MAD 684

44.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$109 MAD 1,004

348.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$66.6 MAD 616

452.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$219 MAD 2,023

277.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$175 MAD 1,616

309.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,572 MAD 14.5K

86.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$937 MAD 8,669

50.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$530 MAD 4,906

2.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.81

179.21%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Taza: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $109 in Taza. 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 3% 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 $19.00 in Taza. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $196 in Taza – so Medellin 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 Taza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $895 in Taza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taza, 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 $19.00 in Taza. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $597 in Taza. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taza, where all-in costs run around $597, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Taza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taza – 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 Taza. 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.