Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhubei City and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhubei City and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,119 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,029 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,940 per month in Zhubei City vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 NT$156

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-17.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 NT$1,079

$32.86 COP 117.2K

4.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 NT$179

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-20.03%

Cappuccino

$3.70 NT$117

$1.71 COP 6,105

116.37%

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

$0.98 NT$30.98

$1.10 COP 3,918

-10.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 NT$19.84

$0.78 COP 2,776

-19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 NT$71.3

$1.68 COP 5,987

34.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 NT$84.9

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-12.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.25 NT$102

$1.09 COP 3,899

198.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NT$62.8

$1.26 COP 4,500

57.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 NT$137

$1.38 COP 4,914

214.49%

Eggs

$3.02 NT$95.0

$2.19 COP 7,813

37.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 NT$433

$4.40 COP 15.7K

212.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 NT$275

$5.63 COP 20.1K

55.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.81 NT$876

$8.89 COP 31.7K

212.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 NT$138

$2.34 COP 8,334

87.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 NT$81.2

$1.06 COP 3,771

143.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 NT$87.5

$1.50 COP 5,365

85.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 NT$124

$1.38 COP 4,915

186.23%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 NT$127

$1.15 COP 4,104

249.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 NT$79.9

$1.16 COP 4,148

118.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 NT$83.4

$0.89 COP 3,176

197.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NT$43.65

$0.84 COP 2,992

65.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 NT$131

$2.28 COP 8,131

82.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 NT$288

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 NT$49.58

$1.20 COP 4,276

30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 NT$85.0

$2.47 COP 8,809

9.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$20.40

$0.86 COP 3,051

-24.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.26 NT$1,205

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-7.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 NT$107

$1.47 COP 5,255

131.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 NT$19.78

$1.96 COP 6,997

-67.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 NT$321

$7.74 COP 27.6K

31.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.42

$0.95 COP 3,403

8.42%

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

$41.8K NT$1.3M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

130.76%

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

$27.2K NT$856.5K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

2.64%

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

$93.0 NT$2,930

$82.3 COP 293.2K

13.07%

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

$33.79 NT$1,064

$9.50 COP 33.9K

255.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.60 NT$775

$24.23 COP 86.4K

1.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.24 NT$1,079

$25.89 COP 92.3K

32.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 NT$481

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-19.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.76 NT$370

$3.93 COP 14.0K

199.24%

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

$690 NT$21.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

123.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K NT$479.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

155.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.4 NT$2,690

$58.7 COP 209.1K

45.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.83 NT$1,507

$32.35 COP 115.3K

47.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 NT$3,147

$103 COP 365.7K

-2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 NT$3,617

$108 COP 386.5K

5.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 NT$13.4K

$476 COP 1.7M

-10.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 NT$6,690

$379 COP 1.4M

-43.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 NT$37.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

40.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 NT$27.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

19.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.8K NT$528.0K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

500.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,937 NT$313.1K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

720.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,432 NT$76.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

375.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

13.43

-82.13%

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

Last update for Zhubei City: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Zhubei City 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 375% higher in Zhubei City, 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 $34.00 in Zhubei City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 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

Zhubei City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zhubei City 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 $1,678 per month in Zhubei City 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 $34.00 in Zhubei City and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,119 in Zhubei City and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Zhubei City at $1,119. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zhubei City 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, Zhubei City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.