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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $1,844 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $2,898 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $3,953 in Tumba, rent included.

Medellin is about 44% cheaper than Tumba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Tumba is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$14.96 SEK 138

-60.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$67.4 SEK 620

-50.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$10.48 SEK 96.4

-30.82%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$4.60 SEK 42.31

-62.83%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$2.73 SEK 25.10

-60.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$2.46 SEK 22.63

-68.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$7.58 SEK 69.7

-76.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$7.54 SEK 69.4

-57.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.81 SEK 16.62

-41.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$3.05 SEK 28.08

-57.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$3.90 SEK 35.91

-64.62%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$3.94 SEK 36.27

-43.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$13.00 SEK 120

-65.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$13.31 SEK 122

-56.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$15.69 SEK 144

-42.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$3.61 SEK 33.22

-36.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$2.69 SEK 24.72

-60.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.56 SEK 14.35

-3.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$4.43 SEK 40.80

-69.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.51 SEK 13.92

-23.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.89 SEK 17.41

-38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$2.52 SEK 23.18

-67.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$1.62 SEK 14.93

-47.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$7.19 SEK 66.2

-67.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$13.12 SEK 121

-15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.71 SEK 15.75

-32.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$1.89 SEK 17.35

30.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$4.32 SEK 39.70

-81.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$109 SEK 998

-61.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$6.29 SEK 57.9

-77.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.19 SEK 10.98

59.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$20.85 SEK 192

-63.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$2.01 SEK 18.49

-48.76%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$33.1K SEK 304.6K

-46.60%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$34.6K SEK 317.9K

-21.82%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$90.1 SEK 829

-9.65%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$28.94 SEK 266

-67.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$42.50 SEK 391

-44.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$42.63 SEK 392

-39.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$25.32 SEK 233

-23.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$16.43 SEK 151

-75.35%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$144 SEK 1,329

116.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$4,106 SEK 37.8K

47.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$106 SEK 971

-44.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$42.88 SEK 395

-23.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$117 SEK 1,080

-14.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$153 SEK 1,406

-30.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$826 SEK 7,596

-40.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$659 SEK 6,063

-43.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,421 SEK 13.1K

-41.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$1,095 SEK 10.1K

-34.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$4,180 SEK 38.5K

-29.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$2,901 SEK 26.7K

-51.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.16

222.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tumba: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $826 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 $33 in Medellin versus $67 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $372 – 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 79%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $2,766 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $67.0 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 $1,030 in Medellin and $1,844 in Tumba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Tumba at $1,844. 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.