Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarlac City and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarlac City and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $621 per month in Tarlac City vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $954 per month in Tarlac City vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,286 per month in Tarlac City vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Tarlac City is about 39% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tarlac City and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tarlac City 54% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 ₱166

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-54.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.96 ₱922

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-54.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.51 ₱216

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-50.49%

Cappuccino

$1.57 ₱96.7

$1.71 COP 6,115

-8.19%

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

$0.87 ₱53.4

$1.10 COP 3,924

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₱15.95

$0.78 COP 2,781

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ₱60.8

$1.68 COP 5,997

-41.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱106

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-43.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₱103

$1.09 COP 3,906

52.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ₱95.3

$1.26 COP 4,508

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱60.7

$1.38 COP 4,922

-28.99%

Eggs

$2.02 ₱124

$2.19 COP 7,827

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 ₱560

$4.40 COP 15.7K

106.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ₱198

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-42.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.91 ₱365

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-33.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ₱178

$2.34 COP 8,349

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₱99.6

$1.06 COP 3,777

52.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 ₱132

$1.50 COP 5,374

43.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ₱94.0

$1.38 COP 4,924

10.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.2

$1.15 COP 4,111

26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ₱72.9

$1.16 COP 4,155

1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱56.9

$0.89 COP 3,182

3.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₱55.4

$0.84 COP 2,997

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 ₱171

$2.28 COP 8,145

21.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.76 ₱232

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-64.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₱50.9

$1.20 COP 4,284

-30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₱96.5

$2.47 COP 8,824

-36.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.30

$0.86 COP 3,056

-67.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.93 ₱489

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-80.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.7

$1.47 COP 5,264

-42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.50

$1.96 COP 7,009

-88.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₱130

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-72.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$0.95 COP 3,409

21.05%

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

$28.6K ₱1.8M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

57.85%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-25.61%

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

$101 ₱6,199

$82.3 COP 293.7K

22.22%

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

$15.85 ₱977

$9.50 COP 33.9K

66.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.78 ₱1,651

$24.23 COP 86.5K

10.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.51 ₱2,745

$25.89 COP 92.4K

71.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.48 ₱1,078

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-8.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 ₱387

$3.93 COP 14.0K

59.54%

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

$170 ₱10.5K

$309 COP 1.1M

-45.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₱866.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

135.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.32 ₱2,856

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-21.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.53 ₱1,636

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-17.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.4 ₱3,109

$103 COP 366.4K

-50.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.32 ₱2,301

$108 COP 387.2K

-65.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 ₱8,057

$476 COP 1.7M

-72.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$103 ₱6,333

$379 COP 1.4M

-72.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₱16.5K

$838 COP 3.0M

-68.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.9K

$724 COP 2.6M

-75.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$372 ₱23.0K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-86.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$294 ₱18.1K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-75.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$212 ₱13.1K

$512 COP 1.8M

-58.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

13.43

-54.06%

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

Last update for Tarlac City: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $131 in Tarlac City 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.

Salaries run about 141% higher in Medellin, 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 $15.00 in Tarlac City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $188 – making Tarlac City 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

Tarlac City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 63%, 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 $932 per month in Tarlac City 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 Tarlac City, 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 $15.00 in Tarlac City 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 $621 in Tarlac City and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarlac City, where all-in costs run around $621, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Tarlac City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tarlac City – 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 Tarlac City. 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.