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 $1,140 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,070 per month in Zhubei City vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,001 per month in Zhubei City vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Zhubei City costs about 11% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zhubei City and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zhubei City 15% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 NT$168

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-15.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.12 NT$1,103

$32.60 COP 106.1K

4.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 NT$184

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-22.62%

Cappuccino

$3.56 NT$115

$1.72 COP 5,600

106.98%

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

$0.91 NT$29.25

$1.05 COP 3,420

-13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 NT$20.04

$0.77 COP 2,515

-19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 NT$72.2

$1.69 COP 5,488

32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 NT$89.0

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-12.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 NT$101

$1.05 COP 3,423

196.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 NT$66.5

$1.30 COP 4,236

58.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 NT$140

$1.40 COP 4,544

210.00%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$94.0

$2.16 COP 7,047

34.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 NT$447

$4.39 COP 14.3K

215.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 NT$273

$5.88 COP 19.1K

43.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.32 NT$915

$8.64 COP 28.1K

227.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 NT$140

$2.28 COP 7,426

90.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NT$85.1

$1.11 COP 3,604

136.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 NT$88.1

$1.53 COP 4,983

78.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 NT$126

$1.35 COP 4,410

189.63%

Potato (1kg)

$4.04 NT$131

$1.13 COP 3,674

257.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 NT$81.7

$1.13 COP 3,692

123.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 NT$85.4

$0.85 COP 2,753

210.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.84

$0.91 COP 2,975

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 NT$128

$2.34 COP 7,630

69.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 NT$282

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-29.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 NT$50.7

$1.20 COP 3,909

30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NT$91.5

$2.49 COP 8,104

13.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$21.03

$0.84 COP 2,728

-22.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.36 NT$1,272

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-2.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 NT$108

$1.42 COP 4,623

135.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 NT$18.90

$1.92 COP 6,235

-69.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NT$324

$7.66 COP 24.9K

31.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$34.55

$0.99 COP 3,223

8.08%

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

$40.9K NT$1.3M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

126.97%

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

$27.3K NT$880.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

2.34%

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

$91.7 NT$2,963

$80.8 COP 263.1K

13.46%

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

$33.73 NT$1,090

$9.95 COP 32.4K

238.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.46 NT$790

$24.18 COP 78.7K

1.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.75 NT$1,091

$25.08 COP 81.7K

34.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.19 NT$491

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-20.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 NT$377

$3.98 COP 13.0K

193.47%

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

$703 NT$22.7K

$305 COP 993.5K

130.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K NT$501.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

156.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 NT$2,727

$58.1 COP 189.2K

45.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.17 NT$1,524

$32.20 COP 104.8K

46.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NT$3,255

$101 COP 327.9K

-0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 NT$3,670

$108 COP 350.8K

5.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 NT$14.1K

$477 COP 1.6M

-8.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 NT$6,842

$376 COP 1.2M

-43.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 NT$38.8K

$845 COP 2.7M

42.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 NT$27.7K

$730 COP 2.4M

17.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.4K NT$528.3K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

408.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,443 NT$305.1K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

588.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,391 NT$77.2K

$617 COP 2.0M

287.57%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Zhubei City 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 288% 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: $392 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

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

Yes – Zhubei City is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,710 per month in Zhubei City 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 $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 $1,140 in Zhubei City and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Zhubei City at $1,140. 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.