Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yilan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yilan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,001 in Yilan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,746 in Yilan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,491 in Yilan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 68% more than Yilan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Yilan is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

$3.56 NT$113

125.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 148.7K

$30.37 NT$965

57.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

$4.85 NT$154

103.92%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,724

$2.77 NT$87.9

13.00%

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

$1.91 COP 5,928

$1.05 NT$33.27

81.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

$0.71 NT$22.65

112.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

$1.49 NT$47.42

109.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.94 NT$93.5

95.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,489

$3.21 NT$102

-55.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,725

$1.72 NT$54.8

44.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,510

$2.66 NT$84.4

-33.46%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,195

$2.55 NT$81.0

16.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

$29.36 NT$933

-65.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

$7.93 NT$252

27.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

$16.85 NT$535

-15.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.8K

$4.40 NT$140

-5.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

$1.93 NT$61.3

-16.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,976

$1.84 NT$58.4

22.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,997

$2.27 NT$72.0

-0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,347

$1.21 NT$38.55

68.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,769

$1.91 NT$60.8

-19.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,635

$2.37 NT$75.3

-50.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,059

$0.92 NT$29.14

42.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.1K

$3.71 NT$118

5.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$15.87 NT$504

-11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,415

$1.41 NT$44.87

23.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,917

$2.53 NT$80.4

13.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

$0.76 NT$24.03

60.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.0K

$36.58 NT$1,162

120.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,066

$2.74 NT$87.1

-52.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

$0.93 NT$29.61

135.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

$9.24 NT$294

-5.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,241

$0.99 NT$31.56

38.38%

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

$25.0K NT$794.0K

11.40%

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

$35.8K COP 111.1M

$19.9K NT$632.4K

79.76%

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

$177 COP 550.8K

$47.93 NT$1,523

269.91%

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

$13.88 COP 43.1K

$14.86 NT$472

-6.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.4K

$21.17 NT$673

40.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.4K

$31.96 NT$1,016

40.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$8.29 NT$263

-19.78%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$347 NT$11.0K

134.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

$17.0K NT$538.9K

-45.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.0K

$54.6 NT$1,736

63.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

$31.89 NT$1,013

84.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

$83.9 NT$2,665

64.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

$62.7 NT$1,992

62.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$278 NT$8,844

281.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$254 NT$8,075

160.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$992 NT$31.5K

90.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$744 NT$23.6K

38.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

$7,457 NT$237.0K

-43.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$5,040 NT$160.2K

-66.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,026 NT$32.6K

-33.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.27

381.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Yilan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $278 in Yilan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 51% higher in Yilan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Yilan. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $373 in Yilan – 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 Yilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 68%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,502 in Yilan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yilan, 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 $30.00 in Yilan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,001 in Yilan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yilan, where all-in costs run around $1,001, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Yilan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yilan – 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 Yilan. 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.