Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 5% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.09

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-30.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-15.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.94

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-25.11%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.59

$1.71 COP 6,093

77.78%

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

$0.46 ¥3.12

$1.10 COP 3,910

-58.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.78 COP 2,771

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.68 COP 5,976

-32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.45

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-30.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.68

$1.09 COP 3,892

57.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.76

$1.26 COP 4,492

26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$1.38 COP 4,905

-20.29%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.17

$2.19 COP 7,799

-24.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$4.40 COP 15.7K

261.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.79

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-42.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.6

$8.89 COP 31.6K

12.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.26

$2.34 COP 8,319

-9.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$1.06 COP 3,764

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.78

$1.50 COP 5,355

16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.12

$1.38 COP 4,906

-2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.65

$1.15 COP 4,097

-27.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.26

$1.16 COP 4,141

-20.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$0.89 COP 3,170

-20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.84 COP 2,986

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.35

$2.28 COP 8,116

51.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$10.64 COP 37.9K

40.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$1.20 COP 4,268

-28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.48

$2.47 COP 8,793

-25.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.86 COP 3,045

-37.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥213

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-24.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.51

$1.47 COP 5,245

25.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$1.96 COP 6,984

-81.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.2

$7.74 COP 27.5K

35.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.95 COP 3,397

15.79%

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

$18.2K ¥122.9K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

0.11%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-41.90%

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

$52.7 ¥357

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-35.93%

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

$8.97 ¥60.8

$9.50 COP 33.8K

-5.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.5

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-47.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$25.89 COP 92.1K

86.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-5.47%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.4

$3.93 COP 14.0K

107.89%

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

$668 ¥4,524

$309 COP 1.1M

115.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥163.1K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

303.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$58.7 COP 208.7K

4.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$32.35 COP 115.1K

5.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$103 COP 365.1K

-25.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥671

$108 COP 385.8K

-8.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,202

$476 COP 1.7M

92.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,084

$379 COP 1.3M

20.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥13.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

128.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,340

$724 COP 2.6M

49.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

343.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

421.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

206.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

13.43

-72.90%

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

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) 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 207% higher in Beijing (Pekin), 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 $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Beijing (Pekin) vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,589 per month in Beijing (Pekin) 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 $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) 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 $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin) 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 Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Beijing (Pekin) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.