Cost of Living Comparison Between Union City, TN and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Union City, TN and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,666 per month in Union City, TN vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,483 per month in Union City, TN vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,300 per month in Union City, TN vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Union City, TN is about 3% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Union City, TN and Medellin sit above the global median – Union City, TN by 21%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.05 $10.05

$8.03 COP 25.1K

25.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.44 $49.44

$48.26 COP 150.8K

2.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 $6.93

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-29.07%

Cappuccino

$3.12 $3.12

$2.91 COP 9,095

7.22%

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

$2.12 $2.12

$1.94 COP 6,074

9.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.52 COP 4,754

0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.09 COP 9,663

28.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-31.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.36 COP 4,262

-33.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.39 COP 7,460

-5.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.70 COP 5,314

22.94%

Eggs

$2.70 $2.70

$2.87 COP 8,967

-5.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 $7.95

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-20.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.48 $8.48

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-21.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.64 $18.64

$14.73 COP 46.0K

26.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.09 COP 12.8K

7.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.57 COP 4,911

-16.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.13 COP 6,642

32.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.21 COP 6,917

96.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.05 COP 6,396

1.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.50 COP 4,700

26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.19 COP 3,718

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.16 COP 3,619

18.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 $7.03

$3.90 COP 12.2K

80.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.91 $13.91

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-3.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.58 COP 4,948

29.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.83 COP 8,836

-36.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.17 COP 3,650

58.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$1.28 COP 4,014

288.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.09 COP 6,537

-27.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.83 $20.83

$8.62 COP 26.9K

141.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.30 COP 4,056

-42.31%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

34.82%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-23.37%

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

$224 $224

$176 COP 550.1K

26.97%

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

$32.84 $32.84

$13.37 COP 41.8K

145.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.8 $76.8

$29.89 COP 93.4K

156.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.46 $41.46

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-7.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 $6.89

$17.06 COP 53.3K

-59.61%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$6.20 COP 19.4K

144.03%

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

$1,433 $1,433

$793 COP 2.5M

80.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

238.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-35.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 $42.99

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-26.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 $91.9

$136 COP 425.9K

-32.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$103 COP 322.2K

34.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 $719

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-32.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 $582

$680 COP 2.1M

-14.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 $1,148

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-42.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 $1,084

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-7.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,618 $2,618

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-36.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,438 $2,438

$1,701 COP 5.3M

43.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,005 $2,005

$665 COP 2.1M

201.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

10.94

-44.52%

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

Last update for Union City, TN: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Union City, TN 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 201% higher in Union City, TN, 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 $49.00 in Union City, TN versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $311 vs $303 – 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

Union City, TN vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 3%, 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 $2,499 per month in Union City, TN 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 Union City, TN, 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 $49.00 in Union City, TN 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 3% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Union City, TN, where all-in costs run around $1,666, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Union City, TN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Union City, TN – 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 Union City, TN. 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.