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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,103 per month in Taoyuan vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,715 per month in Taoyuan vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,328 per month in Taoyuan vs $2,143 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 17% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 NT$166

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-13.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.22 NT$816

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-23.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 NT$198

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-17.63%

Cappuccino

$2.78 NT$89.9

$1.65 COP 5,276

68.48%

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

$1.24 NT$39.97

$1.10 COP 3,514

12.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 NT$25.09

$0.78 COP 2,491

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 NT$52.6

$1.72 COP 5,484

-5.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$77.6

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-24.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.29 NT$106

$1.10 COP 3,521

199.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 NT$45.25

$1.26 COP 4,015

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 NT$77.3

$1.38 COP 4,407

73.19%

Eggs

$2.29 NT$74.2

$2.18 COP 6,950

5.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 NT$299

$4.49 COP 14.3K

106.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.06 NT$261

$5.79 COP 18.5K

39.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.83 NT$512

$8.97 COP 28.6K

76.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 NT$107

$2.32 COP 7,405

42.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NT$61.6

$1.06 COP 3,397

79.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 NT$88.3

$1.52 COP 4,838

79.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 NT$96.8

$1.36 COP 4,327

119.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 NT$76.1

$1.13 COP 3,599

107.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 NT$60.8

$1.17 COP 3,738

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 NT$82.6

$0.90 COP 2,876

183.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 NT$29.43

$0.90 COP 2,861

1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 NT$206

$2.23 COP 7,128

185.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.67 NT$345

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 NT$58.7

$1.19 COP 3,793

52.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 NT$76.5

$2.48 COP 7,920

-4.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 NT$21.45

$0.85 COP 2,723

-22.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.94 NT$1,292

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-4.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 NT$97.9

$1.42 COP 4,518

113.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 NT$23.43

$1.95 COP 6,223

-63.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 NT$266

$7.89 COP 25.2K

4.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.27

$0.99 COP 3,160

7.07%

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

$36.1K NT$1.2M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

105.35%

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

$26.9K NT$870.3K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

0.40%

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

$66.4 NT$2,146

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-20.07%

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

$29.10 NT$941

$9.70 COP 30.9K

200.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.97 NT$614

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-19.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 NT$1,198

$25.26 COP 80.6K

46.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.04 NT$325

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-47.43%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 NT$328

$3.95 COP 12.6K

156.96%

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

$582 NT$18.8K

$316 COP 1.0M

84.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K NT$499.7K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

158.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 NT$2,630

$60.0 COP 191.4K

35.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.97 NT$776

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-24.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 NT$2,725

$102 COP 324.4K

-17.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,331

$107 COP 342.8K

-4.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 NT$13.5K

$475 COP 1.5M

-12.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 NT$11.4K

$374 COP 1.2M

-6.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 NT$26.9K

$849 COP 2.7M

-2.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 NT$19.4K

$719 COP 2.3M

-16.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,335 NT$237.3K

$3,265 COP 10.4M

124.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,640 NT$150.1K

$1,441 COP 4.6M

222.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,505 NT$48.7K

$624 COP 2.0M

141.06%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Taoyuan versus $475 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 141% 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 $25.00 in Taoyuan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Taoyuan vs $193 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 $1,655 per month in Taoyuan and $1,504 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 $25.00 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 $1,103 in Taoyuan and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Taoyuan at $1,103. 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.