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 $1,073 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 20% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 ¥28.98

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-30.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 ¥191

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-13.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥35.08

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-29.29%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.83

$1.72 COP 5,599

79.07%

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

$0.42 ¥2.86

$1.05 COP 3,420

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.77 COP 2,515

-63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$1.69 COP 5,487

-36.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-35.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.05 COP 3,423

59.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.86

$1.30 COP 4,236

23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$1.40 COP 4,544

-20.00%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.55

$2.16 COP 7,046

-20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 ¥106

$4.39 COP 14.3K

259.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.55

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-45.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 ¥66.5

$8.64 COP 28.1K

14.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.14

$2.28 COP 7,425

-8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.11 COP 3,603

49.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.53 COP 4,982

15.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$1.35 COP 4,410

-5.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.78

$1.13 COP 3,674

-24.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$1.13 COP 3,692

-19.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.85 COP 2,753

-21.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.51

$0.91 COP 2,975

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.25

$2.34 COP 7,629

47.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥99.9

$12.37 COP 40.3K

19.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.78

$1.20 COP 3,909

-28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.77

$2.49 COP 8,104

-30.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.84 COP 2,727

-34.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.84 ¥215

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-21.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.42 COP 4,623

29.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$1.92 COP 6,235

-81.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$7.66 COP 24.9K

34.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$0.99 COP 3,223

15.15%

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

$18.9K ¥127.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

4.59%

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

$15.9K ¥107.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-40.28%

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

$51.5 ¥348

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-36.25%

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

$8.84 ¥59.7

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-11.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ¥84.1

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-48.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 ¥336

$25.08 COP 81.6K

98.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥125

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-3.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ¥56.1

$3.98 COP 13.0K

108.29%

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

$679 ¥4,588

$305 COP 993.4K

122.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥158.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

287.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ¥423

$58.1 COP 189.2K

7.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 ¥231

$32.20 COP 104.8K

5.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$101 COP 327.9K

-23.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥679

$108 COP 350.8K

-6.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥6,044

$477 COP 1.6M

87.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥3,133

$376 COP 1.2M

23.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 ¥12.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

125.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 ¥7,277

$730 COP 2.4M

47.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K ¥85.1K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

291.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,257 ¥42.3K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

355.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$617 COP 2.0M

154.46%

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): July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Beijing (Pekin) 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 154% 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 – $221 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $193 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 4%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,610 per month in Beijing (Pekin) 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 $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 $1,073 in Beijing (Pekin) 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 Beijing (Pekin) at $1,073. 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.