Cost of Living Comparison Between Tobago and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tobago and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,193 per month in Tobago vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,838 per month in Tobago vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,484 per month in Tobago vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Tobago is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Tobago sits 13% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 TTD 67.7

$8.03 COP 25.2K

26.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.46 TTD 283

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-12.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 TTD 63.7

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-1.94%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.45

$2.91 COP 9,149

26.12%

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

$1.63 TTD 10.88

$1.94 COP 6,110

-15.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 TTD 10.88

$1.52 COP 4,783

7.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 TTD 25.12

$3.09 COP 9,721

22.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 TTD 29.19

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-23.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 TTD 16.66

$1.36 COP 4,287

83.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 TTD 16.55

$2.39 COP 7,505

4.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 TTD 15.29

$1.70 COP 5,346

35.29%

Eggs

$4.85 TTD 32.30

$2.87 COP 9,021

68.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 TTD 41.26

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-37.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 TTD 47.95

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-33.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 39.34

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-59.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 TTD 26.66

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-1.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 TTD 16.36

$1.57 COP 4,940

56.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 TTD 14.99

$2.13 COP 6,682

5.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 TTD 15.03

$2.21 COP 6,959

2.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 TTD 6.56

$2.05 COP 6,435

-51.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 TTD 11.00

$1.50 COP 4,728

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 TTD 12.05

$1.19 COP 3,740

52.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 TTD 9.89

$1.16 COP 3,640

28.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 TTD 29.63

$3.90 COP 12.2K

14.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.66 TTD 144

$14.44 COP 45.4K

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 TTD 25.06

$1.58 COP 4,978

138.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 TTD 29.31

$2.83 COP 8,889

55.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 TTD 5.03

$1.17 COP 3,672

-35.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 TTD 5.14

$1.28 COP 4,038

-39.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.07 TTD 60.4

$8.62 COP 27.1K

5.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 TTD 6.91

$1.30 COP 4,080

-20.00%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$59.9 TTD 399

$176 COP 553.4K

-65.96%

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

$26.98 TTD 180

$13.37 COP 42.0K

101.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 TTD 493

$29.89 COP 94.0K

147.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 TTD 341

$44.76 COP 140.7K

14.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 TTD 52.5

$6.20 COP 19.5K

27.26%

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

$74.5 TTD 495

$793 COP 2.5M

-90.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.59 TTD 290

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-49.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.02 TTD 320

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-17.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 TTD 913

$136 COP 428.4K

0.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 TTD 599

$103 COP 324.1K

-12.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 TTD 2,656

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-62.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 TTD 2,191

$680 COP 2.1M

-51.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 TTD 3,662

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-72.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 TTD 3,390

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-56.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$746 TTD 4,963

$665 COP 2.1M

12.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Tobago: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Tobago versus $1,060 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 12% higher in Tobago, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Tobago versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $308 in Tobago vs $303 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

Tobago vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,789 per month in Tobago and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tobago, 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 $42.00 in Tobago and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tobago, where all-in costs run around $1,193, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Tobago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tobago – 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 Tobago. 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.