Cost of Living Comparison Between New Taipei City and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between New Taipei City and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,239 per month in New Taipei City vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,038 per month in New Taipei City vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,837 per month in New Taipei City vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

New Taipei City is about 26% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

New Taipei City sits 9% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 NT$150

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-41.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.51 NT$1,003

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-34.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 NT$167

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-47.12%

Cappuccino

$2.24 NT$71.3

$3.13 COP 9,873

-28.43%

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

$0.88 NT$28.06

$1.91 COP 6,019

-53.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 NT$17.95

$1.51 COP 4,763

-62.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 NT$53.3

$3.12 COP 9,853

-46.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 NT$78.1

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-57.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.08 NT$98.2

$1.44 COP 4,558

113.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 NT$57.8

$2.49 COP 7,843

-26.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 NT$70.0

$1.77 COP 5,595

24.29%

Eggs

$2.19 NT$69.6

$2.96 COP 9,336

-26.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.19 NT$802

$10.07 COP 31.8K

150.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 NT$338

$10.12 COP 31.9K

4.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 NT$603

$14.30 COP 45.1K

32.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 NT$131

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-0.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NT$77.8

$1.61 COP 5,073

51.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 NT$89.7

$2.25 COP 7,083

24.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 NT$127

$2.25 COP 7,104

77.33%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 NT$128

$2.04 COP 6,444

97.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 NT$66.1

$1.54 COP 4,842

34.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 NT$52.1

$1.17 COP 3,691

40.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NT$33.18

$1.31 COP 4,121

-20.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 NT$142

$3.90 COP 12.3K

14.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 NT$283

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-36.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 NT$47.31

$1.74 COP 5,498

-14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 NT$64.0

$2.87 COP 9,053

-29.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$26.20

$1.22 COP 3,834

-32.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.92 NT$1,208

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-52.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 NT$89.9

$1.31 COP 4,129

115.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 NT$31.63

$2.19 COP 6,899

-54.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.69 NT$309

$8.71 COP 27.5K

11.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.02

$1.37 COP 4,306

-26.28%

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

$33.9K NT$1.1M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

21.89%

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

$24.4K NT$776.1K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-31.88%

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

$112 NT$3,560

$177 COP 559.3K

-36.96%

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

$16.69 NT$532

$13.88 COP 43.8K

20.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 NT$731

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-22.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.29 NT$1,251

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-12.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.78 NT$248

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-54.56%

Cinema Ticket

$12.64 NT$402

$6.65 COP 21.0K

90.08%

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

$650 NT$20.7K

$813 COP 2.6M

-20.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K NT$676.5K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

131.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.16 NT$1,120

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-60.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.25 NT$995

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-47.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 NT$2,987

$138 COP 435.9K

-32.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 NT$3,164

$102 COP 322.1K

-2.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 NT$20.6K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-39.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 NT$10.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

-48.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 NT$44.5K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-26.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$926 NT$29.5K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-9.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K NT$394.5K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

196.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,248 NT$230.9K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

332.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,391 NT$44.3K

$678 COP 2.1M

105.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.81

10.94

-74.31%

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

Last update for New Taipei City: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $646 in New Taipei City versus $1,062 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 105% higher in New Taipei City, 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 $32.00 in New Taipei City versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $383 in New Taipei City vs $305 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

New Taipei City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,859 per month in New Taipei City and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in New Taipei City, 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 $32.00 in New Taipei City and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,239 in New Taipei City and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in New Taipei City, where all-in costs run around $1,239, than in Medellin at $1,681. In New Taipei City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward New Taipei City – 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 New Taipei City. 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.