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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $703 in Tunja, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,078 in Tunja, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,453 in Tunja, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Tunja, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Tunja are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tunja 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.60 COP 9,387

127.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$14.73 COP 53.2K

122.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.90 COP 24.9K

4.35%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.07 COP 3,867

58.88%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.76 COP 2,747

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.59 COP 2,128

22.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.22 COP 4,410

36.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.04 COP 7,382

51.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.23 COP 4,436

-13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.06 COP 3,835

17.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.19 COP 4,298

16.81%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.26 COP 8,143

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.04 COP 14.6K

7.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.93 COP 21.4K

-1.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.48 COP 27.0K

18.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.58 COP 9,330

-13.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.22 COP 4,422

-11.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.88 COP 3,178

73.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.91 COP 3,303

50.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.20 COP 4,330

-5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.97 COP 3,495

15.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.97 COP 3,520

-12.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.78 COP 2,833

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.74 COP 6,278

33.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.34 COP 30.1K

33.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.83 COP 2,979

43.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.51 COP 5,440

56.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.52 COP 1,876

51.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.70 COP 2,518

105.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.56 COP 5,616

22.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.88 COP 21.2K

36.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.92 COP 3,313

2.17%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.6K COP 70.8M

-8.68%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.0K COP 101.0M

-4.26%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$74.5 COP 268.8K

12.74%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$8.80 COP 31.8K

9.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$20.58 COP 74.3K

17.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$17.27 COP 62.4K

49.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.76 COP 13.6K

4.26%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$240 COP 867.2K

27.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,469 COP 8.9M

139.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$65.5 COP 236.6K

-11.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$33.11 COP 119.5K

-3.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$84.1 COP 303.7K

18.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$38.28 COP 138.2K

179.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$294 COP 1.1M

65.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$232 COP 839.0K

58.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$529 COP 1.9M

56.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$426 COP 1.5M

68.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

15.25

-11.93%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tunja: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $294 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Tunja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $172 – 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 47%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,055 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $15.00 in Tunja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $703, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.