Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarragona and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $1,767 in Tarragona, rent and utilities included – about $900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tarragona, Spain
Medellin, Colombia
Tarragona
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,767
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tarragona and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tarragona and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,767 per month in Tarragona vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Tarragona $1,767
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Tarragona vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Tarragona $2,621
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $3,474 per month in Tarragona vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Tarragona $3,474
  • Medellin $3,249

Tarragona costs about 4% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tarragona and Medellin sit above the global median – Tarragona by 31%, Medellin by 25%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tarragona
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.55 €15.71
$8.34 COP 26.9K
110.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.1 €54.6
$46.53 COP 150.3K
31.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.73 €7.81
$9.47 COP 30.6K
-7.81%
Cappuccino
$2.46 €2.20
$3.13 COP 10.1K
-21.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 €2.19
$1.77 COP 5,704
37.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 €1.83
$1.42 COP 4,600
43.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.31 €2.96
$3.15 COP 10.2K
5.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.93 €3.52
$5.70 COP 18.4K
-31.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tarragona
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.12
$1.53 COP 4,949
-18.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.98 €1.77
$2.29 COP 7,399
-13.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.94 COP 6,281
-24.23%
Eggs
$3.54 €3.16
$3.07 COP 9,902
15.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.24 €11.85
$9.99 COP 32.3K
32.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.18 €9.11
$10.45 COP 33.7K
-2.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.52 €12.99
$13.96 COP 45.1K
4.01%
Apples (1kg)
$2.82 €2.52
$4.05 COP 13.1K
-30.37%
Banana (1kg)
$2.58 €2.31
$1.53 COP 4,936
68.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 €2.58
$2.10 COP 6,795
37.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.29
$2.29 COP 7,407
11.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.54 €1.38
$2.11 COP 6,812
-27.01%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.79
$1.71 COP 5,519
16.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.17 COP 3,779
23.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 €0.62
$1.58 COP 5,102
-56.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.86 €6.13
$3.91 COP 12.6K
75.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.93 €4.42
$14.04 COP 45.4K
-64.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01 €1.80
$1.76 COP 5,689
14.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 €1.63
$2.71 COP 8,758
-32.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Tarragona
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.63 €1.46
$1.18 COP 3,810
38.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.05 €24.20
$76.3 COP 246.4K
-64.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.03 €3.61
$1.81 COP 5,835
122.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 €1.38
$2.13 COP 6,876
-27.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.58 €19.31
$8.13 COP 26.3K
165.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.78 €1.59
$1.28 COP 4,118
39.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K €31.1K
$34.4K COP 111.2M
0.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8K €26.6K
$34.1K COP 110.2M
-12.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tarragona
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$144 €129
$178 COP 573.9K
-18.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.20 €20.76
$13.89 COP 44.8K
67.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.37 €33.44
$30.74 COP 99.3K
21.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tarragona
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.4 €54.0
$41.94 COP 135.4K
44.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.53 €21.95
$16.80 COP 54.3K
46.01%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 €7.94
$7.47 COP 24.1K
18.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tarragona
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$314 €281
$790 COP 2.6M
-60.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$12.3K COP 39.7M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tarragona
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €93.4
$86.3 COP 278.8K
20.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.89 €30.33
$59.3 COP 191.4K
-42.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.9 €72.4
$138 COP 446.7K
-41.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.2 €79.0
$98.8 COP 319.1K
-10.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tarragona
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$927 €829
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-30.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$775 €694
$667 COP 2.2M
16.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,231 €1,101
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-37.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,191 €1,065
$1,033 COP 3.3M
15.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,694 €2,411
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-34.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,300 €1,163
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-33.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tarragona
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,063 €1,846
$646 COP 2.1M
219.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.02
10.94
-72.39%

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

Last update for Tarragona: November 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tarragona
$775
Medellin
$667 13.9% $108
Groceries & Markets
Tarragona
$287
Medellin
$307 7.2% $21
Eating Out
Tarragona
$239
Medellin
$173 27.6% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tarragona
$205
Medellin
$222 8.5% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Tarragona
$138
Medellin
$172 24.5% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Tarragona
$78
Medellin
$57 27.2% $21
Getting Around
Tarragona
$45
Medellin
$93 106% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in Tarragona versus $1,341 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 in Tarragona are about 3.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Tarragona versus $47 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $287 in Tarragona vs $307 in Medellin – so Tarragona wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Tarragona
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
17:18 5:18 PM
11:18 11:18 AM
6 h behind Tarragona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
138,262
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.895 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,627 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tarragona Medellin 8,450 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tarragona
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Tarragona vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Tarragona?
Yes – Tarragona is pricier by about 4%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,651 per month in Tarragona and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tarragona, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $927 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Tarragona or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Tarragona and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Tarragona and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,767 in Tarragona and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 4% cheaper.
Is $2,500 enough for either Tarragona or Medellin?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,767 in Tarragona and $1,692 in Medellin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Tarragona or in Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,692 in Medellin to $1,767 in Tarragona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tarragona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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