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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,175 per month in Taichung vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,977 per month in Taichung vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,779 per month in Taichung vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Taichung costs about 16% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taichung and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Taichung 12% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 NT$163

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-13.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 NT$949

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-8.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 NT$172

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-22.71%

Cappuccino

$3.03 NT$95.5

$1.71 COP 6,115

77.19%

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

$1.16 NT$36.61

$1.10 COP 3,924

5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 NT$27.02

$0.78 COP 2,781

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 NT$68.9

$1.68 COP 5,997

30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 NT$92.4

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-4.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.86 NT$122

$1.09 COP 3,906

254.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 NT$54.9

$1.26 COP 4,508

38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 NT$88.7

$1.38 COP 4,922

104.35%

Eggs

$3.27 NT$103

$2.19 COP 7,827

49.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.67 NT$997

$4.40 COP 15.7K

619.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 NT$260

$5.63 COP 20.1K

46.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 NT$506

$8.89 COP 31.8K

80.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 NT$146

$2.34 COP 8,349

98.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 NT$55.5

$1.06 COP 3,777

66.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 NT$71.0

$1.50 COP 5,374

50.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 NT$93.6

$1.38 COP 4,924

115.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 NT$40.12

$1.15 COP 4,111

10.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NT$62.1

$1.16 COP 4,155

69.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NT$74.3

$0.89 COP 3,182

165.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 NT$40.95

$0.84 COP 2,997

54.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 NT$125

$2.28 COP 8,145

73.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 NT$511

$10.64 COP 38.0K

52.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 NT$53.8

$1.20 COP 4,284

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 NT$83.7

$2.47 COP 8,824

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 NT$29.57

$0.86 COP 3,056

9.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.86 NT$908

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-30.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 NT$92.1

$1.47 COP 5,264

98.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 NT$38.97

$1.96 COP 7,009

-36.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 NT$323

$7.74 COP 27.6K

32.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.02

$0.95 COP 3,409

10.53%

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

$34.5K NT$1.1M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

90.52%

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

$26.0K NT$816.9K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-2.01%

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

$96.6 NT$3,042

$82.3 COP 293.7K

17.50%

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

$24.51 NT$771

$9.50 COP 33.9K

158.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.07 NT$695

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-8.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.44 NT$1,147

$25.89 COP 92.4K

40.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.09 NT$318

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-46.89%

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 NT$331

$3.93 COP 14.0K

167.68%

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

$355 NT$11.2K

$309 COP 1.1M

14.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K NT$656.8K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

249.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.1 NT$2,646

$58.7 COP 209.5K

43.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.06 NT$1,072

$32.35 COP 115.5K

5.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 NT$3,049

$103 COP 366.4K

-5.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 NT$4,092

$108 COP 387.2K

19.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 NT$11.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-20.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 NT$9,184

$379 COP 1.4M

-22.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 NT$33.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

26.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 NT$23.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

0.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,297 NT$229.7K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

161.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,260 NT$165.6K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

334.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,420 NT$44.7K

$512 COP 1.8M

177.41%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $379 in Taichung versus $476 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 177% 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 – $402 in Taichung vs $188 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 16%, 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 $1,762 per month in Taichung and $1,519 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 $1,175 in Taichung and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Taichung at $1,175. 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.