Cost of Living Comparison Between Tak and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tak and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $910 per month in Tak vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,474 per month in Tak vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Tak vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Tak is about 11% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tak and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tak 32% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ฿106

$5.93 COP 19.0K

-47.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.54 ฿930

$33.12 COP 106.0K

-16.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ฿212

$7.12 COP 22.8K

-11.80%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ฿69.9

$1.71 COP 5,457

21.05%

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

$0.72 ฿24.38

$1.05 COP 3,356

-31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.62

$0.72 COP 2,311

-52.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ฿84.3

$1.72 COP 5,502

45.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$3.17 COP 10.2K

16.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.06 COP 3,408

59.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ฿45.02

$1.31 COP 4,192

1.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 ฿44.04

$1.33 COP 4,256

-2.26%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿74.9

$2.28 COP 7,298

-2.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.18 ฿613

$4.42 COP 14.1K

311.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿105

$5.92 COP 18.9K

-47.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 ฿358

$8.64 COP 27.7K

22.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 ฿108

$2.34 COP 7,504

36.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.91

$1.10 COP 3,527

12.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.47 COP 4,698

32.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿51.1

$1.38 COP 4,415

10.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$1.17 COP 3,754

30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.10

$1.17 COP 3,744

4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.98

$0.90 COP 2,890

8.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.66

$0.84 COP 2,693

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$2.33 COP 7,449

90.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 ฿490

$11.92 COP 38.1K

21.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ฿58.2

$1.15 COP 3,673

49.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.6

$2.42 COP 7,749

15.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ฿32.40

$0.84 COP 2,687

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.64

$1.41 COP 4,517

-24.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 ฿39.84

$1.91 COP 6,127

-38.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 ฿207

$7.83 COP 25.0K

-21.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿43.00

$0.94 COP 3,020

35.11%

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

$28.1K ฿947.0K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

57.47%

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

$27.2K ฿919.0K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

0.55%

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

$75.4 ฿2,545

$83.3 COP 266.4K

-9.45%

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

$13.92 ฿470

$9.66 COP 30.9K

44.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.40 ฿621

$24.22 COP 77.5K

-24.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.57 ฿1,673

$25.22 COP 80.7K

96.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.36 ฿417

$19.33 COP 61.9K

-36.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 ฿237

$4.07 COP 13.0K

72.73%

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

$294 ฿9,912

$307 COP 981.2K

-4.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,691 ฿327.1K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

62.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.43 ฿1,128

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-44.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.48 ฿1,164

$32.65 COP 104.5K

5.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 ฿3,353

$101 COP 323.5K

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 ฿2,365

$108 COP 345.7K

-35.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 ฿14.4K

$476 COP 1.5M

-10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,666

$379 COP 1.2M

-24.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.8K

$816 COP 2.6M

0.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 ฿22.4K

$707 COP 2.3M

-6.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,770 ฿59.7K

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-44.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,311 ฿44.2K

$1,446 COP 4.6M

-9.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

13.43

-59.42%

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

Last update for Tak: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Tak 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Tak versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Tak vs $192 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

Tak vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,366 per month in Tak and $1,527 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tak, 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 $28.00 in Tak and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% 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 Tak, where all-in costs run around $910, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Tak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tak – 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 Tak. 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.