Cost of Living Comparison Between Tibas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tibas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Tibas vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,235 per month in Tibas vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,951 per month in Tibas vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Tibas costs about 50% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tibas sits 13% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 ₡4,660

$5.99 COP 21.3K

70.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.68 ₡13.6K

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-9.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 ₡3,990

$7.09 COP 25.2K

23.13%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ₡893

$1.71 COP 6,093

14.62%

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

$1.22 ₡557

$1.10 COP 3,910

10.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₡549

$0.78 COP 2,771

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ₡891

$1.68 COP 5,976

16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,325

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-5.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 ₡460

$1.09 COP 3,892

-7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 ₡906

$1.26 COP 4,492

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,008

$1.38 COP 4,905

60.14%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,342

$2.19 COP 7,799

34.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 ₡4,490

$4.40 COP 15.7K

123.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 ₡2,340

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-9.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 ₡6,161

$8.89 COP 31.6K

51.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 ₡2,085

$2.34 COP 8,319

94.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡660

$1.06 COP 3,764

35.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 ₡1,897

$1.50 COP 5,355

176.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 ₡1,192

$1.38 COP 4,906

89.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 ₡1,580

$1.15 COP 4,097

200.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,410

$1.16 COP 4,141

166.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₡220

$0.89 COP 3,170

-46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,329

$0.84 COP 2,986

246.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 ₡2,376

$2.28 COP 8,116

128.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.97 ₡10.0K

$10.64 COP 37.9K

106.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₡1,097

$1.20 COP 4,268

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,346

$2.47 COP 8,793

19.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₡474

$0.86 COP 3,045

20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₡859

$1.47 COP 5,245

27.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡812

$1.96 COP 6,984

-9.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₡3,701

$7.74 COP 27.5K

4.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡644

$0.95 COP 3,397

48.42%

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

$37.8K ₡17.3M

$18.1K COP 64.5M

108.60%

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

$32.5K ₡14.8M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

22.59%

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

$95.3 ₡43.5K

$82.3 COP 292.7K

15.85%

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

$26.00 ₡11.9K

$9.50 COP 33.8K

173.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 ₡27.1K

$24.23 COP 86.2K

144.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 ₡26.3K

$25.89 COP 92.1K

122.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.23 ₡11.1K

$19.00 COP 67.6K

27.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 ₡4,600

$3.93 COP 14.0K

156.23%

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

$558 ₡255.0K

$309 COP 1.1M

80.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$5,965 COP 21.2M

113.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 ₡28.2K

$58.7 COP 208.7K

5.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 ₡23.1K

$32.35 COP 115.1K

56.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡58.5K

$103 COP 365.1K

24.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.7K

$108 COP 385.8K

-1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 ₡343.2K

$476 COP 1.7M

57.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ₡271.4K

$379 COP 1.3M

56.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 ₡690.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

80.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$947 ₡432.5K

$724 COP 2.6M

30.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$980 ₡447.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

91.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

13.43

-24.27%

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

Last update for Tibas: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $751 in Tibas 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 92% higher in Tibas, 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 $30.00 in Tibas versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $322 in Tibas vs $188 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

Tibas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tibas is pricier by about 50%, 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 $2,278 per month in Tibas 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 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 $30.00 in Tibas and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 71% more in Tibas, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Tibas at $1,519. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tibas 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tibas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.