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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $711 in Tunja, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,062 in Tunja, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,413 in Tunja, rent included.

Medellin costs about 43% more than Tunja, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Tunja are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tunja 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.68 COP 9,353

122.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$14.38 COP 50.2K

131.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.71 COP 23.4K

7.75%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.07 COP 3,731

52.34%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.74 COP 2,588

47.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.56 COP 1,937

30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.19 COP 4,151

46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.11 COP 7,356

53.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.21 COP 4,239

-13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.06 COP 3,698

21.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.20 COP 4,185

10.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.18 COP 7,595

4.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.24 COP 14.8K

2.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.67 COP 19.8K

3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.24 COP 25.3K

18.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.48 COP 8,667

-9.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.18 COP 4,124

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.85 COP 2,959

78.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.92 COP 3,219

54.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.19 COP 4,154

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.94 COP 3,292

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.95 COP 3,312

-6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.74 COP 2,586

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.66 COP 5,797

35.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.41 COP 29.4K

31.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.83 COP 2,889

37.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.56 COP 5,447

52.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.51 COP 1,768

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.66 COP 2,312

113.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.55 COP 5,421

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

30.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.93 COP 3,230

8.60%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.2K COP 66.9M

-8.25%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.0K COP 97.6M

-5.23%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$76.1 COP 265.7K

9.93%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.86 COP 30.9K

6.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$20.41 COP 71.2K

18.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$16.80 COP 58.6K

50.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.81 COP 13.3K

7.61%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$242 COP 844.3K

28.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,419 COP 8.4M

147.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$63.7 COP 222.2K

-8.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$33.19 COP 115.8K

-1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$83.8 COP 292.3K

18.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$37.53 COP 131.0K

189.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$286 COP 998.0K

68.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$230 COP 801.8K

65.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$521 COP 1.8M

60.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$421 COP 1.5M

71.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tunja: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $286 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 $14.00 in Tunja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $169 – 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 43%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,066 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 $14.00 in Tunja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $711, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.