Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tongi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tongi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $316 in Tongi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $523 in Tongi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $731 in Tongi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 217% more than Tongi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Tongi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Tongi 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.69 ৳209

249.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$9.92 ৳1,226

232.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.83 ৳597

53.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.02 ৳497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 ৳574

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.48 ৳183

11.49%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.34 ৳42.47

223.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.17 ৳20.92

358.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.65 ৳79.9

69.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.55 ৳68.3

129.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.62 ৳76.2

122.58%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.20 ৳149

81.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.77 ৳837

-33.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.53 ৳312

128.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.47 ৳676

63.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.15 ৳265

7.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.99 ৳123

7.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.00 ৳247

-24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.61 ৳75.9

122.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.26 ৳32.01

334.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.38 ৳46.40

207.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.35 ৳43.66

157.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.26 ৳31.86

246.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.07 ৳998

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 ৳276

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 ৳611

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.93 ৳362

-23.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.22 ৳27.20

286.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$10.11 ৳1,250

311.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.84 ৳104

69.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.42 ৳52.4

364.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.09 ৳258

277.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.99 ৳123

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$28.4K ৳3.5M

-37.95%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.6K ৳3.4M

-3.07%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$29.90 ৳3,695

177.63%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.81 ৳594

101.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$9.13 ৳1,128

157.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$13.47 ৳1,665

87.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$11.98 ৳1,480

59.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.22 ৳522

-6.40%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$26.81 ৳3,313

1077.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$943 ৳116.5K

533.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$16.17 ৳1,999

271.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$17.56 ৳2,170

81.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$32.95 ৳4,072

208.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$36.37 ৳4,494

195.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$70.9 ৳8,755

570.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$42.42 ৳5,243

781.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$164 ৳20.2K

419.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$98.5 ৳12.2K

630.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$642 ৳79.3K

408.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.29

30.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tongi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $70.9 in Tongi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $10.00 in Tongi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $102 – making Tongi 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 Tongi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 217%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $474 in Tongi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tongi, 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 $10.00 in Tongi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $316 in Tongi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tongi, where all-in costs run around $316, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Tongi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tongi – 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 Tongi. 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.