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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,895 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,871 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,847 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 41% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$14.95 SEK 142

-60.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$67.3 SEK 638

-50.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$10.60 SEK 101

-31.79%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$4.65 SEK 44.10

-64.95%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$2.70 SEK 25.57

-59.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$2.52 SEK 23.85

-71.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$7.16 SEK 67.9

-75.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$7.52 SEK 71.3

-57.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.72 SEK 16.26

-38.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$3.11 SEK 29.47

-58.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$4.02 SEK 38.11

-67.16%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$3.99 SEK 37.84

-43.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$12.81 SEK 121

-66.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$13.16 SEK 125

-55.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$15.63 SEK 148

-44.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$3.62 SEK 34.28

-37.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$2.57 SEK 24.41

-58.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$1.57 SEK 14.88

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$4.65 SEK 44.07

-69.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$1.56 SEK 14.79

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.87 SEK 17.71

-37.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$2.62 SEK 24.84

-66.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$1.61 SEK 15.27

-44.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$7.37 SEK 69.9

-69.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$10.74 SEK 102

2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.76 SEK 16.73

-35.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$1.91 SEK 18.14

24.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$4.41 SEK 41.86

-80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$106 SEK 1,004

-60.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$6.13 SEK 58.1

-77.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$1.22 SEK 11.58

55.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$20.80 SEK 197

-62.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.99 SEK 18.90

-49.25%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$32.2K SEK 305.1K

-45.36%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$34.2K SEK 324.3K

-22.54%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$90.3 SEK 856

-7.36%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$28.17 SEK 267

-66.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$41.83 SEK 397

-42.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$43.37 SEK 411

-41.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$25.71 SEK 244

-25.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$16.14 SEK 153

-74.60%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$143 SEK 1,355

118.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$4,072 SEK 38.6K

47.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$103 SEK 978

-43.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$44.27 SEK 420

-26.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$117 SEK 1,111

-15.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$157 SEK 1,489

-30.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$842 SEK 7,980

-42.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$652 SEK 6,184

-41.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$1,405 SEK 13.3K

-40.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$1,102 SEK 10.5K

-34.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$4,847 SEK 46.0K

-41.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$3,251 SEK 30.8K

-62.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tumba: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $842 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 $67.0 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $367 – 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 86%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,842 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,895 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 $1,017, than in Tumba at $1,895. 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.