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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,115 per month in Tobago vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,875 per month in Tobago vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,634 per month in Tobago vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Tobago costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tobago and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tobago 17% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.99 TTD 60.2

$5.99 COP 21.4K

50.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 TTD 439

$32.86 COP 117.4K

99.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 TTD 48.47

$7.09 COP 25.3K

1.97%

Cappuccino

$3.63 TTD 24.32

$1.71 COP 6,115

112.28%

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

$0.92 TTD 6.13

$1.10 COP 3,924

-16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 TTD 5.42

$0.78 COP 2,781

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 TTD 24.58

$1.68 COP 5,997

118.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TTD 19.30

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-6.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 TTD 15.15

$1.09 COP 3,906

107.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 TTD 15.42

$1.26 COP 4,508

82.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 TTD 19.46

$1.38 COP 4,922

110.14%

Eggs

$4.48 TTD 30.01

$2.19 COP 7,827

104.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 TTD 48.75

$4.40 COP 15.7K

65.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 TTD 49.25

$5.63 COP 20.1K

30.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 TTD 49.98

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-16.09%

Apples (1kg)

$6.97 TTD 46.69

$2.34 COP 8,349

197.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 TTD 15.83

$1.06 COP 3,777

122.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 TTD 19.58

$1.50 COP 5,374

94.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 TTD 19.41

$1.38 COP 4,924

110.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 TTD 8.11

$1.15 COP 4,111

5.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 TTD 8.04

$1.16 COP 4,155

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 TTD 10.67

$0.89 COP 3,182

78.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 TTD 8.76

$0.84 COP 2,997

55.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 TTD 32.35

$2.28 COP 8,145

111.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.73 TTD 146

$10.64 COP 38.0K

104.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.42 TTD 22.91

$1.20 COP 4,284

185.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 TTD 22.59

$2.47 COP 8,824

36.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 TTD 5.15

$0.86 COP 3,056

-10.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 TTD 5.06

$1.47 COP 5,264

-48.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 TTD 5.18

$1.96 COP 7,009

-60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.24 TTD 102

$7.74 COP 27.6K

96.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 TTD 6.94

$0.95 COP 3,409

9.47%

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

$26.7K TTD 178.8K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

47.18%

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

$40.4K TTD 271.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

52.71%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 TTD 404

$24.23 COP 86.5K

148.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 TTD 366

$25.89 COP 92.4K

111.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 TTD 101

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-20.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 TTD 49.79

$3.93 COP 14.0K

89.06%

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

$96.9 TTD 649

$309 COP 1.1M

-68.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 TTD 346

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-11.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.21 TTD 310

$32.35 COP 115.5K

42.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$154 TTD 1,029

$103 COP 366.4K

49.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 TTD 469

$108 COP 387.2K

-35.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$413 TTD 2,767

$476 COP 1.7M

-13.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 TTD 2,283

$379 COP 1.4M

-10.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 TTD 5,394

$838 COP 3.0M

-3.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 TTD 4,420

$724 COP 2.6M

-8.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 TTD 4,908

$512 COP 1.8M

43.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-47.88%

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

Last update for Tobago: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $413 in Tobago 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 43% higher in Tobago, 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 $66.0 in Tobago versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $188 – 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

Tobago vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tobago is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,673 per month in Tobago 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 $66.0 in Tobago 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 73% more in Tobago, 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 Tobago at $1,115. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tobago 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.

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