Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tobago Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tobago

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,193 in Tobago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,838 in Tobago, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,484 in Tobago, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Tobago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Tobago is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$10.17 TTD 67.7

-21.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$42.46 TTD 283

13.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$9.58 TTD 63.7

1.98%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$3.67 TTD 24.45

-20.71%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$1.63 TTD 10.88

19.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$1.63 TTD 10.88

-6.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$3.77 TTD 25.12

-18.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$4.39 TTD 29.19

30.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$2.50 TTD 16.66

-45.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$2.49 TTD 16.55

-4.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$2.30 TTD 15.29

-26.09%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$4.85 TTD 32.30

-40.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$6.20 TTD 41.26

60.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$7.21 TTD 47.95

49.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$5.91 TTD 39.34

149.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$4.01 TTD 26.66

2.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.46 TTD 16.36

-36.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$2.25 TTD 14.99

-5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$2.26 TTD 15.03

-2.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.99 TTD 6.56

107.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.65 TTD 11.00

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.81 TTD 12.05

-34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$1.49 TTD 9.89

-22.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.45 TTD 29.63

-12.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$21.66 TTD 144

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$3.77 TTD 25.06

-58.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$4.40 TTD 29.31

-35.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.76 TTD 5.03

53.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$0.77 TTD 5.14

66.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$9.07 TTD 60.4

-4.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.04 TTD 6.91

25.00%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$59.9 TTD 399

193.74%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$26.98 TTD 180

-50.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$74.0 TTD 493

-59.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$51.2 TTD 341

-12.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$7.89 TTD 52.5

-21.42%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$74.5 TTD 495

965.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$43.59 TTD 290

96.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$48.02 TTD 320

21.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$137 TTD 913

-0.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$89.9 TTD 599

14.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$399 TTD 2,656

165.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$329 TTD 2,191

106.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$550 TTD 3,662

265.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$509 TTD 3,390

129.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$746 TTD 4,963

-10.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tobago: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $399 in Tobago. 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 12% higher in Tobago, 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 $42.00 in Tobago. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $308 in Tobago – 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 Tobago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,789 in Tobago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tobago, 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 $42.00 in Tobago. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tobago, where all-in costs run around $1,193, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Tobago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tobago – 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 Tobago. 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.