Cost of Living Comparison Between Tansen and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tansen and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $442 per month in Tansen vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $732 per month in Tansen vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,022 per month in Tansen vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Tansen is about 57% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tansen and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tansen 67% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 NPR 286

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-69.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.56 NPR 2,851

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-43.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 NPR 994

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-11.85%

Cappuccino

$1.90 NPR 291

$1.72 COP 5,600

10.47%

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

$0.50 NPR 76.9

$1.05 COP 3,420

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 29.59

$0.77 COP 2,515

-75.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 NPR 395

$1.69 COP 5,488

52.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 NPR 567

$3.17 COP 10.3K

16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 NPR 129

$1.05 COP 3,423

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 NPR 91.9

$1.30 COP 4,236

-53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 NPR 156

$1.40 COP 4,544

-27.86%

Eggs

$1.78 NPR 273

$2.16 COP 7,047

-17.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 NPR 1,367

$4.39 COP 14.3K

102.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 NPR 485

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-46.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.96 NPR 916

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-31.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 NPR 339

$2.28 COP 7,426

-3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 NPR 160

$1.11 COP 3,604

-6.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 NPR 185

$1.53 COP 4,983

-20.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 NPR 105

$1.35 COP 4,410

-48.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 NPR 78.8

$1.13 COP 3,674

-54.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 NPR 104

$1.13 COP 3,692

-39.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 81.3

$0.85 COP 2,753

-37.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 NPR 38.10

$0.91 COP 2,975

-72.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 NPR 450

$2.34 COP 7,630

25.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.04 NPR 1,389

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NPR 360

$1.20 COP 3,909

95.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 NPR 516

$2.49 COP 8,104

34.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 NPR 30.34

$0.84 COP 2,728

-76.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 NPR 338

$1.42 COP 4,623

54.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 NPR 161

$1.92 COP 6,235

-45.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 NPR 556

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-52.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NPR 189

$0.99 COP 3,223

24.24%

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

$31.6K NPR 4.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

75.17%

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

$41.4K NPR 6.4M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

55.30%

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

$32.83 NPR 5,043

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-59.37%

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

$4.99 NPR 766

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-49.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.61 NPR 1,477

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-60.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.52 NPR 2,844

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-26.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.30 NPR 507

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-17.09%

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

$91.8 NPR 14.1K

$305 COP 993.5K

-69.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,794 NPR 582.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-37.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.01 NPR 3,841

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-56.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 NPR 4,308

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-12.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.6 NPR 8,843

$101 COP 327.9K

-42.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.16 NPR 6,168

$108 COP 350.8K

-62.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$104 NPR 16.0K

$477 COP 1.6M

-78.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$63.6 NPR 9,774

$376 COP 1.2M

-83.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 NPR 31.8K

$845 COP 2.7M

-75.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 NPR 22.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

-80.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

13.43

-10.05%

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

Last update for Tansen: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $104 in Tansen 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Tansen versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $193 – making Tansen 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

Tansen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 133%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $662 per month in Tansen 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 Tansen, 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 $19.00 in Tansen and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tansen, where all-in costs run around $442, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Tansen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tansen – 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 Tansen. 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.