Cost of Living Comparison Between TamΓ‘si and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between TamΓ‘si and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,025 per month in TamΓ‘si vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,585 per month in TamΓ‘si vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,145 per month in TamΓ‘si vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

TamΓ‘si costs about 1% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both TamΓ‘si and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – TamΓ‘si 24% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
TamΓ‘si
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.67 FtΒ 2,320
$5.95 COPΒ 20.8K
28.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.89 FtΒ 13.9K
$33.33 COPΒ 116.3K
37.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.63 FtΒ 1,703
$7.23 COPΒ 25.2K
-22.13%
Cappuccino
$2.06 FtΒ 624
$1.63 COPΒ 5,687
26.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 FtΒ 451
$1.09 COPΒ 3,821
36.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 FtΒ 419
$0.73 COPΒ 2,548
90.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 FtΒ 687
$1.74 COPΒ 6,065
30.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 FtΒ 640
$3.23 COPΒ 11.3K
-34.37%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
TamΓ‘si
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 FtΒ 317
$1.05 COPΒ 3,662
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 FtΒ 485
$1.29 COPΒ 4,515
24.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 FtΒ 358
$1.32 COPΒ 4,617
-10.61%
Eggs
$2.04 FtΒ 616
$2.27 COPΒ 7,927
-10.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.70 FtΒ 2,330
$4.35 COPΒ 15.2K
77.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 FtΒ 1,711
$5.88 COPΒ 20.5K
-3.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.26 FtΒ 3,407
$8.61 COPΒ 30.0K
30.78%
Apples (1kg)
$1.37 FtΒ 414
$2.25 COPΒ 7,844
-39.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 FtΒ 426
$1.07 COPΒ 3,733
31.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 FtΒ 528
$1.52 COPΒ 5,322
15.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.77 FtΒ 839
$1.42 COPΒ 4,964
95.07%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 FtΒ 291
$1.17 COPΒ 4,084
-17.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.19 FtΒ 359
$1.17 COPΒ 4,077
1.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 FtΒ 432
$0.89 COPΒ 3,096
60.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 FtΒ 145
$0.90 COPΒ 3,146
-46.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.36 FtΒ 1,924
$2.25 COPΒ 7,837
182.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.16 FtΒ 1,260
$11.04 COPΒ 38.5K
-62.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 FtΒ 280
$1.14 COPΒ 3,977
-19.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 FtΒ 442
$2.38 COPΒ 8,301
-38.66%
🚌 Getting Around
TamΓ‘si
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 FtΒ 357
$0.84 COPΒ 2,916
40.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.37 FtΒ 7,675
$41.95 COPΒ 146.4K
-39.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.88 FtΒ 870
$1.41 COPΒ 4,912
104.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.29 FtΒ 390
$1.90 COPΒ 6,634
-32.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.46 FtΒ 5,283
$7.75 COPΒ 27.0K
125.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.68 FtΒ 509
$1.01 COPΒ 3,509
66.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K FtΒ 7.9M
$17.6K COPΒ 61.4M
49.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K FtΒ 7.6M
$26.5K COPΒ 92.5M
-4.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
TamΓ‘si
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 FtΒ 31.7K
$83.7 COPΒ 292.1K
25.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.87 FtΒ 7,524
$9.45 COPΒ 33.0K
163.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.41 FtΒ 4,058
$24.11 COPΒ 84.1K
-44.38%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
TamΓ‘si
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.78 FtΒ 14.2K
$25.31 COPΒ 88.3K
84.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.60 FtΒ 5,023
$19.14 COPΒ 66.8K
-13.27%
Cinema Ticket
$6.98 FtΒ 2,111
$4.10 COPΒ 14.3K
70.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
TamΓ‘si
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$223 FtΒ 67.4K
$312 COPΒ 1.1M
-28.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,210 FtΒ 1.9M
$5,993 COPΒ 20.9M
3.63%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
TamΓ‘si
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.9 FtΒ 25.1K
$58.0 COPΒ 202.6K
42.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.76 FtΒ 9,004
$32.56 COPΒ 113.6K
-8.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.5 FtΒ 21.0K
$99.6 COPΒ 347.7K
-30.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.1 FtΒ 17.6K
$109 COPΒ 378.8K
-46.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
TamΓ‘si
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$451 FtΒ 136.4K
$482 COPΒ 1.7M
-6.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$339 FtΒ 102.6K
$379 COPΒ 1.3M
-10.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$633 FtΒ 191.7K
$837 COPΒ 2.9M
-24.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$539 FtΒ 163.2K
$723 COPΒ 2.5M
-25.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,333 FtΒ 1.0M
$2,840 COPΒ 9.9M
17.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,104 FtΒ 636.7K
$1,223 COPΒ 4.3M
72.06%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
TamΓ‘si
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,251 FtΒ 378.3K
$541 COPΒ 1.9M
131.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.85
13.43
-56.44%

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

Last update for TamΓ‘si: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in TamΓ‘si versus $482 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 131% higher in TamΓ‘si, 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 $46.00 in TamΓ‘si versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
TamΓ‘si vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than TamΓ‘si?
Yes – TamΓ‘si is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,537 per month in TamΓ‘si and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in TamΓ‘si or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in TamΓ‘si and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in TamΓ‘si vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,025 in TamΓ‘si and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for TamΓ‘si or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in TamΓ‘si at $1,025. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in TamΓ‘si it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is TamΓ‘si or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, TamΓ‘si or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, TamΓ‘si makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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