Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunja and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunja and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $703 per month in Tunja vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,078 per month in Tunja vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,453 per month in Tunja vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Tunja is about 32% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Tunja and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tunja 47% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 COP 9,387

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-56.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.73 COP 53.2K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-55.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 COP 24.9K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-4.17%

Cappuccino

$1.07 COP 3,867

$1.70 COP 6,140

-37.06%

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

$0.76 COP 2,747

$1.10 COP 3,966

-30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 2,128

$0.72 COP 2,605

-18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 COP 4,410

$1.67 COP 6,022

-26.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 COP 7,382

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-34.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 COP 4,436

$1.06 COP 3,809

16.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 COP 3,835

$1.25 COP 4,497

-15.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,298

$1.39 COP 5,022

-14.39%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,143

$2.26 COP 8,168

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.04 COP 14.6K

$4.33 COP 15.6K

-6.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 COP 21.4K

$5.84 COP 21.1K

1.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 COP 27.0K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-15.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 COP 9,330

$2.24 COP 8,099

15.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 COP 4,422

$1.08 COP 3,882

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,178

$1.53 COP 5,522

-42.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 COP 3,303

$1.37 COP 4,950

-33.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$1.13 COP 4,078

6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,495

$1.12 COP 4,036

-13.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 COP 3,520

$0.85 COP 3,057

14.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,833

$0.91 COP 3,281

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.74 COP 6,278

$2.33 COP 8,414

-25.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 COP 30.1K

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-25.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,979

$1.19 COP 4,309

-30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 5,440

$2.37 COP 8,553

-36.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 COP 1,876

$0.79 COP 2,838

-34.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 COP 2,518

$1.44 COP 5,184

-51.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 COP 5,616

$1.91 COP 6,901

-18.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 COP 21.2K

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-26.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,313

$0.94 COP 3,385

-2.13%

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

$19.6K COP 70.8M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

9.51%

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

$28.0K COP 101.0M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

4.45%

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

$74.5 COP 268.8K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-11.30%

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

$8.80 COP 31.8K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-8.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.58 COP 74.3K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-14.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.27 COP 62.4K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-33.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 COP 13.6K

$3.92 COP 14.1K

-4.08%

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

$240 COP 867.2K

$306 COP 1.1M

-21.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,469 COP 8.9M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-58.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 COP 236.6K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

13.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.11 COP 119.5K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

4.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 COP 303.7K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.28 COP 138.2K

$107 COP 386.8K

-64.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 COP 1.1M

$487 COP 1.8M

-39.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 COP 839.0K

$368 COP 1.3M

-36.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 COP 1.9M

$826 COP 3.0M

-35.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 COP 1.5M

$716 COP 2.6M

-40.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.25

13.43

13.55%

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

Last update for Tunja: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $294 in Tunja 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 $15.00 in Tunja versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $190 – making Tunja 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

Tunja vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 47%, 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 $1,055 per month in Tunja and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tunja, 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 $15.00 in Tunja 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 10% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tunja, where all-in costs run around $703, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Tunja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tunja – 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 Tunja. 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.