Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Taichung and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,180 per month in Taichung vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,966 per month in Taichung vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,752 per month in Taichung vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Taichung costs about 15% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taichung and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Taichung 12% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 NT$161

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-18.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.18 NT$975

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-7.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 NT$172

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-27.66%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NT$94.1

$1.72 COP 5,600

69.19%

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

$1.15 NT$37.25

$1.05 COP 3,420

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 NT$27.00

$0.77 COP 2,515

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 NT$67.2

$1.69 COP 5,488

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 NT$92.5

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-9.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.91 NT$127

$1.05 COP 3,423

272.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.8

$1.30 COP 4,236

35.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 NT$89.7

$1.40 COP 4,544

98.57%

Eggs

$3.14 NT$102

$2.16 COP 7,047

45.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.84 NT$1,029

$4.39 COP 14.3K

625.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 NT$266

$5.88 COP 19.1K

39.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 NT$514

$8.64 COP 28.1K

84.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 NT$151

$2.28 COP 7,426

105.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 NT$55.9

$1.11 COP 3,604

55.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 NT$72.0

$1.53 COP 4,983

45.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 NT$99.1

$1.35 COP 4,410

127.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 NT$41.73

$1.13 COP 3,674

14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NT$61.5

$1.13 COP 3,692

68.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NT$76.4

$0.85 COP 2,753

177.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NT$40.17

$0.91 COP 2,975

36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 NT$129

$2.34 COP 7,630

70.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 NT$501

$12.37 COP 40.3K

25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$53.5

$1.20 COP 3,909

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 NT$86.2

$2.49 COP 8,104

7.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.24

$0.84 COP 2,728

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 NT$923

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-29.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.0

$1.42 COP 4,623

107.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 NT$38.32

$1.92 COP 6,235

-38.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NT$330

$7.66 COP 24.9K

33.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.19

$0.99 COP 3,223

7.07%

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

$33.7K NT$1.1M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

86.68%

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

$26.4K NT$853.2K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-0.83%

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

$95.7 NT$3,091

$80.8 COP 263.1K

18.39%

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

$24.69 NT$798

$9.95 COP 32.4K

148.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 NT$686

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-12.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 NT$1,144

$25.08 COP 81.7K

41.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.35 NT$334

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-45.95%

Cinema Ticket

$10.85 NT$351

$3.98 COP 13.0K

172.61%

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

$357 NT$11.5K

$305 COP 993.5K

17.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K NT$671.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

242.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 NT$2,777

$58.1 COP 189.2K

47.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 NT$1,116

$32.20 COP 104.8K

7.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 NT$3,079

$101 COP 327.9K

-5.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NT$4,227

$108 COP 350.8K

21.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 NT$12.2K

$477 COP 1.6M

-20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$9,088

$376 COP 1.2M

-25.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 NT$33.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

23.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 NT$23.5K

$730 COP 2.4M

-0.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,208 NT$232.9K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

124.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 NT$166.6K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

275.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,392 NT$45.0K

$617 COP 2.0M

125.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

13.43

-83.77%

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

Last update for Taichung: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Taichung versus $477 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 126% higher in Taichung, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Taichung versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in Taichung vs $193 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

Taichung vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taichung is pricier by about 15%, 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 $1,770 per month in Taichung and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $30.00 in Taichung and $33.00 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 $1,180 in Taichung and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Taichung at $1,180. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taichung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taichung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.