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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $318 in Tongi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $525 in Tongi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $733 in Tongi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 219% more than Tongi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Tongi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tongi 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.66 ৳204

258.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$9.91 ৳1,215

236.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.99 ৳612

44.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 ৳511

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 ৳581

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.43 ৳175

13.99%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.31 ৳38.49

251.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.17 ৳20.62

329.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.67 ৳82.1

56.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.55 ৳67.6

134.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.57 ৳70.1

131.58%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.15 ৳142

97.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.71 ৳822

-35.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.46 ৳302

139.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.32 ৳652

61.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.23 ৳273

0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.96 ৳117

11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.03 ৳249

-25.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.62 ৳76.5

129.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.26 ৳31.45

350.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.41 ৳49.64

185.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.32 ৳39.81

178.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.28 ৳34.63

221.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.53 ৳1,045

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 ৳273

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 ৳612

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.85 ৳349

-21.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.22 ৳26.97

281.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$10.16 ৳1,246

312.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.79 ৳96.6

78.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.40 ৳48.71

375.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.07 ৳253

274.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.00 ৳122

1.00%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$29.0K ৳3.6M

-39.48%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.7K ৳3.4M

-4.44%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$29.76 ৳3,647

181.18%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.86 ৳595

94.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$8.92 ৳1,093

170.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$13.55 ৳1,660

86.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$11.97 ৳1,467

59.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.07 ৳499

0.74%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$27.02 ৳3,311

1054.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$934 ৳114.5K

541.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$16.26 ৳1,992

256.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$18.03 ৳2,210

80.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$32.62 ৳3,998

205.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$36.70 ৳4,498

195.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$68.4 ৳8,381

605.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$42.21 ৳5,173

799.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$164 ৳20.1K

410.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$96.6 ৳11.8K

648.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$848 ৳103.9K

234.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tongi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $68.4 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: $190 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 219%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $477 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $318 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 $318, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.