Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tsu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,315 in Tsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,050 in Tsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,784 in Tsu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Tsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tsu is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$6.36 ¥993

26.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$18.04 ¥2,817

165.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$3.82 ¥596

158.90%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.46 ¥384

27.24%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.18 ¥184

61.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.65 ¥101

132.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.10 ¥328

48.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.30 ¥358

150.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.60 ¥250

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.34 ¥210

85.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$5.71 ¥891

-69.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.07 ¥323

43.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$13.10 ¥2,046

-23.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$9.91 ¥1,548

2.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$33.12 ¥5,173

-56.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$5.13 ¥801

-19.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$3.59 ¥561

-55.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$3.18 ¥497

-29.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$4.27 ¥667

-47.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$3.94 ¥615

-48.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$3.54 ¥553

-56.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.27 ¥199

-7.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.03 ¥161

27.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.53 ¥552

10.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$8.32 ¥1,300

68.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.08 ¥325

-16.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.56 ¥244

83.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.47 ¥230

-17.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$58.4 ¥9,117

37.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.15 ¥492

-58.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.14 ¥491

-30.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$27.01 ¥4,217

-67.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.04 ¥163

31.73%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$19.4K ¥3.0M

43.31%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$16.8K ¥2.6M

113.47%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$151 ¥23.6K

17.43%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$24.90 ¥3,889

-44.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$43.69 ¥6,823

-31.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$52.1 ¥8,129

-13.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$12.95 ¥2,022

32.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$8.45 ¥1,320

-21.30%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$329 ¥51.3K

147.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$6,202 ¥968.5K

48.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$50.9 ¥7,947

75.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$26.14 ¥4,082

125.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$47.63 ¥7,439

190.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$66.5 ¥10.4K

53.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$520 ¥81.1K

104.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$339 ¥53.0K

95.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,034 ¥161.4K

82.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$746 ¥116.4K

37.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$3,763 ¥587.7K

11.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,792 ¥279.9K

-6.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,573 ¥245.6K

-56.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.9

475.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tsu: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $520 in Tsu. 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 132% higher in Tsu, 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 $18.00 in Tsu. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $397 in Tsu – 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 Tsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, 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 $1,973 in Tsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tsu, 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 $18.00 in Tsu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,315 in Tsu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tsu, where all-in costs run around $1,315, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Tsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tsu – 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 Tsu. 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.