Cost of Living Comparison Between Miaoli and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Miaoli and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $788 per month in Miaoli vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,105 per month in Miaoli vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,423 per month in Miaoli vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Miaoli is about 52% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Miaoli sits 43% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 NT$82.5

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-67.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.16 NT$764

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-49.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.80 NT$152

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-49.04%

Cappuccino

$3.06 NT$96.9

$2.94 COP 9,040

4.08%

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

$0.88 NT$27.84

$1.86 COP 5,735

-52.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 NT$18.39

$1.46 COP 4,479

-60.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 NT$39.72

$3.21 COP 9,882

-60.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 NT$41.84

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-76.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 NT$90.3

$1.44 COP 4,428

98.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 NT$38.51

$2.40 COP 7,389

-49.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 NT$82.4

$1.70 COP 5,228

52.94%

Eggs

$2.22 NT$70.2

$2.89 COP 8,896

-23.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 NT$302

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-5.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 NT$240

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-23.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.61 NT$684

$14.20 COP 43.7K

52.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 NT$123

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-2.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 NT$65.7

$1.58 COP 4,878

31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.6

$2.15 COP 6,624

40.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$96.8

$2.30 COP 7,078

33.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NT$82.2

$2.00 COP 6,169

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 NT$61.8

$1.51 COP 4,646

29.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 NT$76.1

$1.20 COP 3,701

100.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 NT$27.58

$1.28 COP 3,946

-32.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 NT$126

$3.84 COP 11.8K

3.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 NT$346

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-21.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NT$46.15

$1.71 COP 5,256

-14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 NT$69.2

$2.74 COP 8,440

-20.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 NT$88.7

$1.31 COP 4,016

113.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 NT$24.03

$2.17 COP 6,680

-64.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.19 NT$227

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-13.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.66

$1.36 COP 4,172

-26.47%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

21.39%

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

$24.4K NT$772.0K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-33.19%

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

$70.0 NT$2,215

$169 COP 519.2K

-58.49%

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

$18.28 NT$578

$13.57 COP 41.8K

34.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 NT$694

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-22.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 NT$345

$6.65 COP 20.5K

63.91%

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

$521 NT$16.5K

$803 COP 2.5M

-35.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K NT$1.0M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

251.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.91 NT$408

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-85.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.01 NT$791

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-57.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 NT$1,977

$139 COP 427.5K

-54.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 NT$3,082

$102 COP 314.0K

-4.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 NT$6,968

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-79.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 NT$5,094

$653 COP 2.0M

-75.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,543 NT$80.4K

$655 COP 2.0M

288.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

10.94

-80.07%

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

Last update for Miaoli: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $220 in Miaoli versus $1,071 in Medellin. 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 288% higher in Miaoli, 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 $24.00 in Miaoli versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $316 in Miaoli vs $300 in Medellin – 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

Miaoli vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 108%, 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 $1,182 per month in Miaoli and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Miaoli, 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 $24.00 in Miaoli and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Miaoli, where all-in costs run around $788, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Miaoli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Miaoli – 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 Miaoli. 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.