Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tunja Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tunja

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,662 per month in Medellin vs $1,333 in Tunja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,451 per month in Medellin vs $2,026 in Tunja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,241 per month in Medellin vs $2,720 in Tunja, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Tunja, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 22% above the global median, while Tunja is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.94 COP 24.9K

$7.93 COP 24.8K

0.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.55 COP 136.2K

$40.53 COP 126.8K

7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 COP 30.5K

$9.52 COP 29.8K

2.21%

Cappuccino

$2.92 COP 9,129

$2.51 COP 7,866

16.33%

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

$1.88 COP 5,891

$1.30 COP 4,082

44.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 COP 4,793

$0.81 COP 2,529

88.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.2K

$1.91 COP 5,972

70.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 COP 17.6K

$3.83 COP 12.0K

46.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,081

$1.61 COP 5,049

-19.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 COP 7,269

$2.34 COP 7,324

-0.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,485

$1.63 COP 5,098

-12.27%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 8,821

$3.78 COP 11.8K

-25.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 COP 28.0K

$7.03 COP 22.0K

27.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 COP 33.6K

$7.31 COP 22.9K

46.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.45 COP 45.2K

$10.80 COP 33.8K

33.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.4K

$3.40 COP 10.6K

16.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,323

$1.71 COP 5,354

-19.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 COP 7,064

$1.91 COP 5,988

18.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,564

$1.79 COP 5,598

17.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,550

$1.41 COP 4,417

48.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,009

$1.35 COP 4,237

18.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,252

$1.32 COP 4,142

-21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,989

$1.06 COP 3,319

20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.45 COP 13.9K

-11.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$12.87 COP 40.3K

3.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,186

$1.36 COP 4,242

22.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 COP 9,309

$2.97 COP 9,305

0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 COP 3,837

$1.09 COP 3,414

12.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.6 COP 245.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 COP 4,710

$1.00 COP 3,121

51.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 COP 6,384

$2.36 COP 7,394

-13.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,215

$1.28 COP 4,016

5.47%

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

$28.1K COP 87.8M

$22.3K COP 69.9M

25.73%

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

$36.0K COP 112.6M

$36.1K COP 112.8M

-0.17%

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

$152 COP 475.6K

$128 COP 401.9K

18.36%

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

$13.16 COP 41.2K

$16.40 COP 51.3K

-19.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.61 COP 98.9K

$31.28 COP 97.8K

1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 COP 149.8K

$32.96 COP 103.1K

45.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.95 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 COP 20.1K

$7.96 COP 24.9K

-19.47%

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

$853 COP 2.7M

$472 COP 1.5M

80.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,701 COP 27.2M

$6,540 COP 20.5M

33.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 COP 284.7K

$79.3 COP 248.1K

14.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 COP 170.8K

$50.3 COP 157.3K

8.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.2K

$138 COP 433.1K

-1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 340.3K

$112 COP 351.5K

-3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 COP 3.0M

$657 COP 2.1M

46.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 COP 2.1M

$491 COP 1.5M

34.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,985 COP 6.2M

$1,006 COP 3.1M

97.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 COP 3.6M

$935 COP 2.9M

23.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,664 COP 11.5M

$2,032 COP 6.4M

80.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,573 COP 4.9M

$1,561 COP 4.9M

0.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

12.71

-17.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 9, 2026

Last update for Tunja: August 10, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Medellin versus $657 in Tunja. 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 $44.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Tunja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $259 – making Tunja 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 Tunja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,493 per month in Medellin and $1,999 in Tunja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tunja, 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 $44.00 in Medellin and $41.00 in Tunja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tunja, where all-in costs run around $1,333, than in Medellin at $1,662. In Tunja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tunja – 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 Tunja. 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.