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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $438 per month in Tansen vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $728 per month in Tansen vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,018 per month in Tansen vs $2,192 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.81 NPR 275

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-69.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.60 NPR 2,830

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-43.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 NPR 993

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-7.90%

Cappuccino

$1.84 NPR 281

$1.71 COP 6,115

7.60%

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

$0.50 NPR 76.2

$1.10 COP 3,924

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 28.51

$0.78 COP 2,781

-75.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 NPR 402

$1.68 COP 5,997

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 NPR 547

$3.07 COP 11.0K

16.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 NPR 126

$1.09 COP 3,906

-23.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 NPR 84.8

$1.26 COP 4,508

-55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 NPR 149

$1.38 COP 4,922

-28.99%

Eggs

$1.78 NPR 272

$2.19 COP 7,827

-18.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 NPR 1,355

$4.40 COP 15.7K

102.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 NPR 486

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-43.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 NPR 946

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-30.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 NPR 335

$2.34 COP 8,349

-5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 NPR 167

$1.06 COP 3,777

3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 NPR 189

$1.50 COP 5,374

-17.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 NPR 105

$1.38 COP 4,924

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 NPR 78.5

$1.15 COP 4,111

-54.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 NPR 102

$1.16 COP 4,155

-42.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 81.3

$0.89 COP 3,182

-40.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.29

$0.84 COP 2,997

-67.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 NPR 455

$2.28 COP 8,145

31.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 NPR 1,206

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-25.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 NPR 355

$1.20 COP 4,284

94.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 NPR 496

$2.47 COP 8,824

31.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 NPR 26.35

$0.86 COP 3,056

-80.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 NPR 336

$1.47 COP 5,264

50.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NPR 168

$1.96 COP 7,009

-43.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 NPR 564

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-52.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NPR 188

$0.95 COP 3,409

29.47%

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

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

73.98%

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

$41.3K NPR 6.3M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

55.97%

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

$33.43 NPR 5,088

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-59.36%

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

$4.97 NPR 756

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-47.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.72 NPR 1,480

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-59.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.41 NPR 2,802

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-28.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.18 NPR 485

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-19.08%

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

$93.0 NPR 14.2K

$309 COP 1.1M

-69.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,784 NPR 576.0K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-36.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.91 NPR 3,792

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-57.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.84 NPR 4,238

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-13.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.3 NPR 8,878

$103 COP 366.4K

-43.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.12 NPR 6,106

$108 COP 387.2K

-63.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$105 NPR 16.0K

$476 COP 1.7M

-77.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.0 NPR 9,746

$379 COP 1.4M

-83.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 NPR 31.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

-75.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 NPR 22.4K

$724 COP 2.6M

-79.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $105 in Tansen 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 $19.00 in Tansen versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $188 – 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 131%, 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 $657 per month in Tansen and $1,519 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 22% 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 $438, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.