Cost of Living Comparison Between Tampico and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tampico and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,119 per month in Tampico vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Tampico vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,387 per month in Tampico vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Tampico costs about 9% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tampico and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tampico 16% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.50 MX$114

$6.16 COP 20.1K

5.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.94 MX$753

$32.60 COP 106.1K

31.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 MX$107

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-16.62%

Cappuccino

$3.17 MX$55.7

$1.72 COP 5,600

84.30%

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

$0.87 MX$15.23

$1.05 COP 3,420

-17.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 MX$13.47

$0.77 COP 2,515

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 MX$25.17

$1.69 COP 5,488

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MX$36.63

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-34.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$25.25

$1.05 COP 3,423

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 MX$69.5

$1.30 COP 4,236

204.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.36

$1.40 COP 4,544

11.43%

Eggs

$4.05 MX$71.0

$2.16 COP 7,047

87.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 MX$79.3

$4.39 COP 14.3K

2.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 MX$147

$5.88 COP 19.1K

42.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 MX$196

$8.64 COP 28.1K

29.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.45

$2.28 COP 7,426

16.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MX$21.14

$1.11 COP 3,604

9.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.56

$1.53 COP 4,983

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 MX$27.10

$1.35 COP 4,410

14.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.98

$1.13 COP 3,674

56.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.73

$1.13 COP 3,692

90.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MX$28.70

$0.85 COP 2,753

92.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.56

$0.91 COP 2,975

-8.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.8

$2.34 COP 7,630

77.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 MX$195

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-10.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 MX$32.10

$1.20 COP 3,909

52.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.33

$2.49 COP 8,104

3.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MX$13.61

$0.84 COP 2,728

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$455

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-36.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 MX$46.01

$1.42 COP 4,623

84.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.30

$1.92 COP 6,235

25.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 MX$86.4

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-35.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.27

$0.99 COP 3,223

34.34%

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

$41.7K MX$732.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

131.48%

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

$22.4K MX$392.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-15.93%

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

$78.8 MX$1,381

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-2.54%

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

$25.61 MX$449

$9.95 COP 32.4K

157.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.92 MX$420

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-1.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.79 MX$663

$25.08 COP 81.7K

50.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.00 MX$281

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-16.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 MX$94.0

$3.98 COP 13.0K

34.67%

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

$242 MX$4,243

$305 COP 993.5K

-20.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,565 MX$62.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-41.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.8 MX$1,469

$58.1 COP 189.2K

44.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 MX$1,098

$32.20 COP 104.8K

94.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$160 MX$2,806

$101 COP 327.9K

58.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 MX$1,374

$108 COP 350.8K

-27.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MX$8,932

$477 COP 1.6M

6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MX$5,524

$376 COP 1.2M

-16.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 MX$13.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

-6.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 MX$10.7K

$730 COP 2.4M

-16.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,968 MX$34.5K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-38.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,150 MX$20.2K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-16.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$585 MX$10.3K

$617 COP 2.0M

-5.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.75

13.43

-12.51%

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

Last update for Tampico: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Tampico 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 5% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tampico versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $193 – 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

Tampico vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tampico is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,679 per month in Tampico 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 $43.00 in Tampico 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 $1,119 in Tampico 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 Tampico at $1,119. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tampico 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tampico makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.