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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,133 per month in Tobago vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,881 per month in Tobago vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,630 per month in Tobago vs $2,167 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 15% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.95 TTD 60.3

$6.16 COP 20.1K

45.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 TTD 445

$32.60 COP 106.1K

102.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 TTD 48.48

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-2.04%

Cappuccino

$3.68 TTD 24.78

$1.72 COP 5,600

113.95%

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

$0.95 TTD 6.42

$1.05 COP 3,420

-9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 TTD 5.49

$0.77 COP 2,515

5.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 TTD 25.04

$1.69 COP 5,488

120.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 TTD 20.13

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-5.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 TTD 15.89

$1.05 COP 3,423

124.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 TTD 15.56

$1.30 COP 4,236

77.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 TTD 19.65

$1.40 COP 4,544

108.57%

Eggs

$4.54 TTD 30.61

$2.16 COP 7,047

110.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 TTD 48.71

$4.39 COP 14.3K

64.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 TTD 50.1

$5.88 COP 19.1K

26.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 TTD 48.58

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-16.55%

Apples (1kg)

$7.02 TTD 47.29

$2.28 COP 7,426

207.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 TTD 16.67

$1.11 COP 3,604

122.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 TTD 19.81

$1.53 COP 4,983

92.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 TTD 20.25

$1.35 COP 4,410

122.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 TTD 8.14

$1.13 COP 3,674

7.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 TTD 8.13

$1.13 COP 3,692

7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 TTD 10.56

$0.85 COP 2,753

84.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 TTD 8.76

$0.91 COP 2,975

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 TTD 31.45

$2.34 COP 7,630

99.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.60 TTD 146

$12.37 COP 40.3K

74.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 TTD 22.76

$1.20 COP 3,909

181.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 TTD 23.10

$2.49 COP 8,104

37.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 TTD 5.23

$0.84 COP 2,728

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 TTD 4.82

$1.42 COP 4,623

-49.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.87

$1.92 COP 6,235

-62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.48 TTD 104

$7.66 COP 24.9K

102.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 TTD 6.88

$0.99 COP 3,223

3.03%

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

$26.7K TTD 179.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

47.96%

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

$39.7K TTD 267.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

49.12%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 TTD 393

$24.18 COP 78.7K

140.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 TTD 367

$25.08 COP 81.7K

117.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 TTD 97.9

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-24.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.41 TTD 49.94

$3.98 COP 13.0K

86.18%

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

$95.7 TTD 645

$305 COP 993.5K

-68.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 TTD 342

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-12.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 TTD 317

$32.20 COP 104.8K

45.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 TTD 1,029

$101 COP 327.9K

51.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.8 TTD 457

$108 COP 350.8K

-37.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 TTD 2,714

$477 COP 1.6M

-15.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 TTD 2,357

$376 COP 1.2M

-7.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 TTD 5,395

$845 COP 2.7M

-5.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 TTD 4,564

$730 COP 2.4M

-7.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 TTD 4,943

$617 COP 2.0M

18.91%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Tobago versus $477 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 19% 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: $329 vs $193 – 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 $1,699 per month in Tobago and $1,546 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 70% 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 $1,031, than in Tobago at $1,133. 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.