Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,133 per month in Taoyuan vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,711 per month in Taoyuan vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,289 per month in Taoyuan vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Taoyuan costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taoyuan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Taoyuan 15% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 NT$160

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-14.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.54 NT$806

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-22.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 NT$195

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-14.31%

Cappuccino

$2.94 NT$92.7

$1.70 COP 6,186

72.94%

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

$1.29 NT$40.77

$1.10 COP 3,996

17.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 NT$24.75

$0.72 COP 2,625

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 NT$53.0

$1.67 COP 6,067

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$75.8

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-22.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.21 NT$101

$1.06 COP 3,837

202.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 NT$43.45

$1.25 COP 4,531

10.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 NT$79.7

$1.39 COP 5,060

82.01%

Eggs

$2.23 NT$70.4

$2.26 COP 8,229

-1.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 NT$290

$4.33 COP 15.8K

112.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 NT$253

$5.84 COP 21.2K

37.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.90 NT$502

$8.83 COP 32.1K

80.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 NT$106

$2.24 COP 8,159

49.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NT$60.0

$1.08 COP 3,911

75.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 NT$82.8

$1.53 COP 5,563

71.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 NT$94.8

$1.37 COP 4,987

118.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 NT$77.0

$1.13 COP 4,109

115.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NT$59.5

$1.12 COP 4,067

68.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 NT$80.7

$0.85 COP 3,080

201.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 NT$27.54

$0.91 COP 3,305

-4.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 NT$209

$2.33 COP 8,477

183.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.44 NT$298

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-15.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 NT$58.0

$1.19 COP 4,342

54.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$74.8

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 NT$22.02

$0.79 COP 2,859

-11.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.05 NT$1,296

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-0.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 NT$98.7

$1.44 COP 5,223

117.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.74

$1.91 COP 6,952

-59.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 NT$254

$8.02 COP 29.2K

0.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 NT$33.26

$0.94 COP 3,410

11.70%

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

$35.9K NT$1.1M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

100.29%

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

$26.4K NT$832.3K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-1.60%

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

$65.2 NT$2,058

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-22.36%

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

$29.34 NT$926

$9.60 COP 34.9K

205.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.10 NT$603

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-20.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.10 NT$1,171

$25.88 COP 94.1K

43.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.26 NT$324

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-46.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 NT$315

$3.92 COP 14.2K

154.34%

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

$575 NT$18.2K

$306 COP 1.1M

87.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K NT$484.5K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

159.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.6 NT$2,607

$57.9 COP 210.6K

42.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 NT$762

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-24.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 NT$2,673

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,192

$107 COP 389.7K

-5.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 NT$13.4K

$487 COP 1.8M

-12.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 NT$10.8K

$368 COP 1.3M

-6.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 NT$26.4K

$826 COP 3.0M

1.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$613 NT$19.4K

$716 COP 2.6M

-14.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,004 NT$252.7K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

173.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,235 NT$165.3K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

272.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,536 NT$48.5K

$546 COP 2.0M

181.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

13.43

-88.31%

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

Last update for Taoyuan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Taoyuan versus $487 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 182% higher in Taoyuan, 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 $26.00 in Taoyuan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Taoyuan vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Taoyuan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taoyuan is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,700 per month in Taoyuan and $1,550 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 $26.00 in Taoyuan 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 $1,133 in Taoyuan and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Taoyuan at $1,133. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taoyuan 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.

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