Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tamale and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Tamale: $142 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $18,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Tamale, Ghana
Medellin, Colombia
Tamale
🇬🇭 Ghana
$142
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tamale and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tamale and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $142 per month in Tamale vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Tamale $142
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $215 per month in Tamale vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Tamale $215
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $288 per month in Tamale vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Tamale $288
  • Medellin $3,186

Tamale is about 91% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tamale sits 90% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tamale
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.39 GHS 39.45
$8.09 COP 26.1K
-58.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$47.05 COP 151.7K
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.17 GHS 118
$9.50 COP 30.6K
7.05%
Cappuccino
-
$3.01 COP 9,722
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 GHS 9.56
$1.80 COP 5,801
-54.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 GHS 5.23
$1.41 COP 4,554
-68.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.89 GHS 10.36
$3.18 COP 10.2K
-72.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 GHS 15.30
$5.75 COP 18.5K
-77.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tamale
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.10 GHS 36.06
$1.51 COP 4,869
105.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.67 GHS 19.41
$2.38 COP 7,667
-29.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.79 GHS 44.18
$1.77 COP 5,712
114.12%
Eggs
-
$2.89 COP 9,320
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$9.87 COP 31.8K
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.99 COP 45.1K
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.55 COP 5,005
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$2.18 COP 7,039
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$2.18 COP 7,041
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.96 COP 6,328
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.59 COP 5,125
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.15 COP 3,694
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.24 COP 4,009
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$13.68 COP 44.1K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 GHS 14.73
$1.66 COP 5,352
-24.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.26 COP 7,281
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tamale
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.82 GHS 9.56
$1.17 COP 3,766
-29.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.4 COP 249.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.27 COP 4,089
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.05 COP 6,603
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.35 COP 4,343
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.1K COP 109.8M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$34.7K COP 111.8M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tamale
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$170 COP 547.0K
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.55 COP 43.7K
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$28.07 COP 90.5K
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tamale
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$43.70 COP 140.9K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.19 COP 55.4K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.91 COP 22.3K
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tamale
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$797 COP 2.6M
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,549 GHS 99.6K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-6.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tamale
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$84.7 COP 273.2K
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$58.0 COP 186.9K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$135 COP 435.2K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$97.9 COP 315.6K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tamale
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$642 COP 2.1M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,170 COP 13.4M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tamale
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$657 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
10.94
-

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

Last update for Tamale: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tamale
–
Medellin
$642
Groceries & Markets
Tamale
–
Medellin
$297
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tamale
–
Medellin
$211
Eating Out
Tamale
–
Medellin
$170
Clothing & Footwear
Tamale
–
Medellin
$169
Getting Around
Tamale
–
Medellin
$94
Sport & Entertainment
Tamale
–
Medellin
$58
Good to know
🇬🇭 Tamale
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
16:45 4:45 PM
11:45 11:45 AM
5 h behind Tamale
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
950,124
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to GHS – Ghanaian Cedi Converter

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 11.65 GHS (100 GHS = 8.58 USD). 1 EUR = 13.01 GHS (100 GHS = 7.69 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tamale Medellin 8,230 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tamale
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Tamale vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tamale cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1053%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $213 per month in Tamale and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Tamale and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $142 in Tamale and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Tamale about 91% cheaper.
How do food prices compare in Tamale and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 330% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in Tamale or in Medellin?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Tamale, where all-in costs run around $142, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Tamale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Tamale or in Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $142 in Tamale to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Tamale vs other spots: cost of living compared

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