Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tumba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tumba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,924 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $3,018 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $4,113 in Tumba, rent included.

Medellin is about 15% cheaper than Tumba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Tumba sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Tumba by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$14.53 SEK 141

-44.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$68.9 SEK 668

-29.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$10.34 SEK 100

-8.90%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$4.63 SEK 44.87

-36.50%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.80 SEK 27.16

-33.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$2.31 SEK 22.35

-36.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$7.32 SEK 71.0

-56.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$7.16 SEK 69.4

-20.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.72 SEK 16.71

-16.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.25 SEK 31.47

-26.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.89 SEK 37.73

-56.30%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$5.04 SEK 48.85

-42.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$13.39 SEK 130

-24.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$13.51 SEK 131

-26.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$17.70 SEK 172

-19.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.33 SEK 32.26

19.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.76 SEK 26.77

-42.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.12 SEK 20.51

1.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.71 SEK 45.69

-51.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.49 SEK 14.47

34.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.78 SEK 17.30

-15.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.29 SEK 22.21

-47.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.89 SEK 18.30

-32.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$7.38 SEK 71.5

-47.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$10.53 SEK 102

33.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.00 SEK 19.37

-14.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.29 SEK 22.20

19.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$4.46 SEK 43.25

-71.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$105 SEK 1,022

-26.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$6.01 SEK 58.2

-78.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.54 SEK 14.96

40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$58.3 SEK 565

-85.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.81 SEK 17.51

-24.86%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$34.7K SEK 336.2K

-20.78%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$33.5K SEK 324.4K

9.18%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$185 SEK 1,793

-8.76%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$21.99 SEK 213

-38.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$49.36 SEK 479

-42.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$42.04 SEK 408

8.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$28.19 SEK 273

-38.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$16.63 SEK 161

-60.01%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$169 SEK 1,639

375.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$5,210 SEK 50.5K

76.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$117 SEK 1,135

-25.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$54.8 SEK 531

8.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$98.9 SEK 958

40.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$202 SEK 1,959

-49.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$717 SEK 6,955

49.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$636 SEK 6,170

2.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,559 SEK 15.1K

23.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$963 SEK 9,338

8.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$3,958 SEK 38.4K

4.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,729 SEK 26.5K

-37.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.2

241.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tumba: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $717 in Tumba. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $69.0 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $387 – making Medellin 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 Tumba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tumba is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,886 in Tumba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $69.0 in Tumba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,924 in Tumba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Tumba at $1,924. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tumba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tumba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.