😐A single person spends $1,423 per month in Telsiai vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,170 per month in Telsiai vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,917 per month in Telsiai vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
😐Telsiai costs about 38% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Telsiai sits 6% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Telsiai
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.74€11.76
$5.92COP 21.4K
132.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.4€59.4
$32.75COP 118.2K
111.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.18€7.86
$7.20COP 26.0K
27.50%
Cappuccino
$3.60€3.08
$1.70COP 6,140
111.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14€1.83
$1.10COP 3,966
94.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35€2.01
$0.72COP 2,605
226.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.28€4.52
$1.67COP 6,022
216.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.16€4.42
$3.10COP 11.2K
66.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Telsiai
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.49€1.28
$1.06COP 3,809
40.57%
White Bread(500g)
$1.54€1.31
$1.25COP 4,497
23.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.51€2.15
$1.39COP 5,022
80.58%
Eggs
$2.88€2.47
$2.26COP 8,168
27.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.67€10.84
$4.33COP 15.6K
192.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.90€5.91
$5.84COP 21.1K
18.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.38€10.60
$8.83COP 31.9K
40.20%
Apples(1kg)
$1.59€1.36
$2.24COP 8,099
-29.02%
Banana(1kg)
$1.67€1.43
$1.08COP 3,882
54.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.17€1.86
$1.53COP 5,522
41.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.35€2.87
$1.37COP 4,950
144.53%
Potato(1kg)
$0.95€0.81
$1.13COP 4,078
-15.93%
Onion(1kg)
$1.08€0.92
$1.12COP 4,036
-3.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.94€1.66
$0.85COP 3,057
128.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93€0.80
$0.91COP 3,281
2.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.76€4.93
$2.33COP 8,414
147.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.23€7.90
$11.13COP 40.2K
-17.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65€1.41
$1.19COP 4,309
38.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18€1.86
$2.37COP 8,553
-8.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Telsiai
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.17€1.00
$0.79COP 2,838
48.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$32.99€28.24
$41.13COP 148.5K
-19.79%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.31€2.84
$1.44COP 5,184
129.86%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.17€1.00
$1.91COP 6,901
-38.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.34€13.98
$8.02COP 28.9K
103.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.71€1.47
$0.94COP 3,385
81.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K€30.3K
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
97.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.1K€28.4K
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
23.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Telsiai
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$241€207
$84.0COP 303.1K
187.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.24€12.19
$9.60COP 34.7K
48.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.94€14.50
$24.16COP 87.2K
-29.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Telsiai
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.35€35.39
$25.88COP 93.4K
59.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.86€19.56
$19.04COP 68.7K
20.06%
Cinema Ticket
$9.38€8.03
$3.92COP 14.1K
139.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Telsiai
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$622€532
$306COP 1.1M
102.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,377€8,027
$5,919COP 21.4M
58.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Telsiai
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.6€74.1
$57.9COP 209.1K
49.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.60€36.47
$31.82COP 114.9K
33.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$110€94.1
$99.9COP 360.6K
10.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129€110
$107COP 386.8K
20.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Telsiai
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$534€457
$487COP 1.8M
9.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$357€306
$368COP 1.3M
-2.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$847€725
$826COP 3.0M
2.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$661€566
$716COP 2.6M
-7.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,484€2,126
$2,925COP 10.6M
-15.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,601€1,371
$1,407COP 5.1M
13.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Telsiai
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$546COP 2.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.49
13.43
-66.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Telsiai: April 28, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $534 in Telsiai 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.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Telsiai versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $190 – making Medellin 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
Telsiai vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Telsiai?
Yes – Telsiai is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,135 per month in Telsiai and $1,550 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Telsiai or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Telsiai and $33.00 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 Telsiai vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,423 in Telsiai and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Telsiai or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Telsiai at $1,423. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Telsiai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Telsiai or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Telsiai or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Telsiai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.