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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,656 per month in Medellin vs $1,315 in Tunja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Medellin vs $2,022 in Tunja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,216 per month in Medellin vs $2,729 in Tunja, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Tunja, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tunja is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 25.4K

$5.72 COP 18.8K

34.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.79 COP 157.4K

$32.70 COP 107.7K

46.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 COP 30.6K

$9.48 COP 31.2K

-1.79%

Cappuccino

$3.02 COP 9,944

$2.21 COP 7,278

36.65%

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

$1.79 COP 5,903

$1.41 COP 4,635

26.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 COP 4,933

$1.07 COP 3,515

40.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.7K

$1.71 COP 5,638

90.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.9K

$2.64 COP 8,701

117.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 COP 4,689

$1.53 COP 5,028

-7.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 COP 8,301

$1.49 COP 4,913

69.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,508

$1.76 COP 5,788

-5.11%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,290

$3.30 COP 10.9K

-14.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 COP 33.8K

$8.27 COP 27.2K

23.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 COP 31.2K

$14.71 COP 48.5K

-35.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 COP 45.8K

$17.90 COP 58.9K

-22.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 COP 13.6K

$3.56 COP 11.7K

15.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 COP 5,126

$1.44 COP 4,744

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 COP 7,274

$2.19 COP 7,219

0.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 COP 7,444

$1.82 COP 5,979

24.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,542

$1.44 COP 4,759

38.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,860

$1.49 COP 4,920

-0.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,778

$0.94 COP 3,089

22.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,093

$0.94 COP 3,104

31.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 13.0K

$4.45 COP 14.7K

-11.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.63 COP 44.9K

$12.95 COP 42.6K

5.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 COP 5,511

$1.45 COP 4,790

15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 COP 9,044

$1.68 COP 5,517

63.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,847

$1.13 COP 3,709

3.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.5 COP 261.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,212

$0.98 COP 3,239

30.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 COP 7,117

$2.05 COP 6,750

5.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 COP 27.3K

$7.82 COP 25.8K

5.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,443

$1.32 COP 4,353

2.27%

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

$27.4K COP 90.2M

$27.5K COP 90.4M

-0.25%

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

$36.0K COP 118.7M

$33.7K COP 111.0M

6.87%

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

$173 COP 570.1K

$180 COP 593.5K

-3.94%

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

$13.73 COP 45.2K

$10.94 COP 36.0K

25.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.34 COP 93.3K

$26.31 COP 86.6K

7.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.27 COP 145.8K

$36.98 COP 121.8K

19.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.63 COP 54.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 COP 21.7K

$6.51 COP 21.4K

1.08%

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

$799 COP 2.6M

$641 COP 2.1M

24.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,089 COP 29.9M

$6,693 COP 22.0M

35.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 COP 289.4K

$53.2 COP 175.3K

65.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 192.6K

$57.2 COP 188.5K

2.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 455.6K

$125 COP 410.9K

10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 COP 321.0K

$98.0 COP 322.9K

-0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.4M

$698 COP 2.3M

48.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.1M

$472 COP 1.6M

36.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 COP 6.1M

$1,043 COP 3.4M

77.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 COP 3.4M

$985 COP 3.2M

4.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,108 COP 13.5M

$1,991 COP 6.6M

106.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.5M

$1,704 COP 5.6M

-1.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.4

-11.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 22, 2026

Last update for Tunja: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,033 in Medellin versus $698 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Tunja. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $306 in Tunja – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 26%, 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 $2,484 per month in Medellin and $1,972 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $33.00 in Tunja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tunja, where all-in costs run around $1,315, than in Medellin at $1,656. 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.