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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $338 in Tongi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $539 in Tongi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $740 in Tongi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 397% more than Tongi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tongi is 75% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$2.07 ৳253

287.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$9.20 ৳1,129

420.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.87 ৳598

103.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ৳287

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ৳547

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.90 ৳233

64.74%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.34 ৳41.14

461.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.16 ৳19.53

843.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$0.76 ৳93.0

89.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.53 ৳65.1

369.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$0.64 ৳78.6

176.56%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.12 ৳138

164.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$7.76 ৳953

29.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$2.09 ৳256

384.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$6.07 ৳744

135.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.51 ৳309

64.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$0.75 ৳91.6

114.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.29 ৳281

-1.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$0.71 ৳87.5

216.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.21 ৳25.16

871.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.52 ৳63.7

196.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.44 ৳53.9

165.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.28 ৳33.88

367.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.85 ৳963

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 ৳331

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 ৳603

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.90 ৳356

34.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.46 ৳56.4

165.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.80 ৳98.6

63.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.42 ৳51.1

421.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$2.89 ৳355

201.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.02 ৳126

34.31%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$29.7K ৳3.6M

-6.24%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$32.7K ৳4.0M

9.39%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$30.11 ৳3,695

488.84%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$3.90 ৳479

255.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$8.06 ৳989

268.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$13.55 ৳1,663

231.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$3.75 ৳461

77.33%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$26.00 ৳3,190

3026.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$1,570 ৳192.7K

485.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$21.63 ৳2,654

313.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$24.41 ৳2,995

141.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$32.94 ৳4,042

319.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$33.93 ৳4,164

201.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$87.7 ৳10.8K

1110.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$51.4 ৳6,302

1191.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$167 ৳20.5K

1032.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$114 ৳14.0K

803.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$645 ৳79.1K

548.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$102 ৳12.5K

565.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.48

4.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tongi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $87.7 in Tongi. 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 565% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $9.00 in Tongi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $108 – 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 397%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $507 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $9.00 in Tongi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 181% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tongi, where all-in costs run around $338, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.