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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,870 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $2,926 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $3,982 in Tumba, rent included.

Medellin is about 46% cheaper than Tumba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Tumba is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$14.82 SEK 144

-59.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$67.9 SEK 659

-51.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$10.64 SEK 103

-33.08%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$4.50 SEK 43.74

-62.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,374

$2.68 SEK 26.00

-60.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$2.47 SEK 23.98

-70.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$7.31 SEK 71.0

-76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$7.45 SEK 72.3

-57.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$1.71 SEK 16.61

-38.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$3.08 SEK 29.91

-57.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$3.94 SEK 38.28

-66.24%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$3.88 SEK 37.70

-41.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$12.93 SEK 126

-65.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$13.08 SEK 127

-54.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$15.40 SEK 150

-43.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$3.59 SEK 34.91

-34.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$2.70 SEK 26.23

-59.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$1.59 SEK 15.45

-7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$4.56 SEK 44.30

-69.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$1.57 SEK 15.24

-25.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$1.82 SEK 17.64

-35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$2.50 SEK 24.29

-64.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$1.63 SEK 15.85

-48.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$7.29 SEK 70.8

-68.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$10.48 SEK 102

13.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$1.72 SEK 16.75

-33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$1.98 SEK 19.20

22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$4.55 SEK 44.23

-81.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

$106 SEK 1,031

-61.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$6.14 SEK 59.6

-77.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

$1.24 SEK 12.02

54.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$20.83 SEK 202

-62.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$1.99 SEK 19.37

-52.76%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$32.5K SEK 315.7K

-45.19%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$34.9K SEK 338.9K

-22.38%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$113 SEK 1,096

-26.25%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$28.97 SEK 281

-66.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$42.53 SEK 413

-43.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

$43.28 SEK 420

-41.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$25.13 SEK 244

-23.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$16.38 SEK 159

-75.15%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

$143 SEK 1,387

114.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$4,215 SEK 40.9K

41.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$106 SEK 1,031

-43.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$43.52 SEK 423

-24.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$116 SEK 1,126

-12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$155 SEK 1,504

-30.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$855 SEK 8,306

-44.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$667 SEK 6,477

-43.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$1,372 SEK 13.3K

-40.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$1,093 SEK 10.6K

-35.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$4,528 SEK 44.0K

-29.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$2,876 SEK 27.9K

-49.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Tumba: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $855 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $68.0 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $364 – 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 84%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $2,804 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 $68.0 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 $1,018 in Medellin and $1,870 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 $1,018, than in Tumba at $1,870. 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.