Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarija and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarija and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $760 per month in Tarija vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $986 per month in Tarija vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,213 per month in Tarija vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Tarija is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tarija and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tarija 43% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 BOB 25.05

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-39.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.33 BOB 98.3

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-56.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 BOB 42.63

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-12.41%

Cappuccino

$2.39 BOB 16.36

$1.71 COP 6,115

39.77%

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

$1.47 BOB 10.09

$1.10 COP 3,924

33.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 BOB 7.16

$0.78 COP 2,781

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 BOB 10.80

$1.68 COP 5,997

-6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 BOB 15.15

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-28.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 BOB 5.23

$1.09 COP 3,906

-30.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 BOB 9.41

$1.26 COP 4,508

8.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 BOB 8.12

$1.38 COP 4,922

-14.49%

Eggs

$2.53 BOB 17.36

$2.19 COP 7,827

15.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.88 BOB 33.47

$4.40 COP 15.7K

10.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 BOB 35.30

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-8.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.18 BOB 42.36

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-30.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 BOB 9.80

$2.34 COP 8,349

-38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 BOB 9.21

$1.06 COP 3,777

26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 BOB 7.26

$1.50 COP 5,374

-29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 BOB 15.04

$1.38 COP 4,924

58.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 BOB 10.12

$1.15 COP 4,111

27.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 BOB 10.22

$1.16 COP 4,155

28.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 BOB 2.25

$0.89 COP 3,182

-62.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 BOB 9.16

$0.84 COP 2,997

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 BOB 19.49

$2.28 COP 8,145

24.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.73 BOB 25.56

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-64.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 BOB 13.03

$1.20 COP 4,284

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 BOB 13.39

$2.47 COP 8,824

-21.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BOB 2.07

$0.86 COP 3,056

-65.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.10 BOB 213

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-24.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 BOB 7.35

$1.47 COP 5,264

-27.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 BOB 8.16

$1.96 COP 7,009

-39.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 BOB 32.02

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-39.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 BOB 3.75

$0.95 COP 3,409

-42.11%

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

$19.6K BOB 134.5K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

8.17%

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

$21.6K BOB 148.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-18.39%

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

$49.85 BOB 342

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-39.39%

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

$27.50 BOB 189

$9.50 COP 33.9K

189.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.07 BOB 289

$24.23 COP 86.5K

73.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.97 BOB 240

$25.89 COP 92.4K

35.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.44 BOB 30.44

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-76.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 BOB 50.3

$3.93 COP 14.0K

86.51%

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

$62.2 BOB 427

$309 COP 1.1M

-79.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,306 BOB 8,956

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-78.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.15 BOB 173

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-57.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 BOB 203

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-8.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.55 BOB 278

$103 COP 366.4K

-60.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.89 BOB 150

$108 COP 387.2K

-79.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 BOB 2,237

$476 COP 1.7M

-31.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 BOB 1,548

$379 COP 1.4M

-40.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 BOB 3,519

$838 COP 3.0M

-38.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 BOB 790

$724 COP 2.6M

-84.09%

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 %)

5.5

13.43

-59.05%

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

Last update for Tarija: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $326 in Tarija 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 $14.00 in Tarija versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $188 – making Tarija 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

Tarija vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,140 per month in Tarija 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 Tarija, 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 $14.00 in Tarija 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 $760 in Tarija and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarija, where all-in costs run around $760, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Tarija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tarija – 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 Tarija. 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.