Cost of Living Comparison Between Changsha and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Changsha and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $767 in Changsha versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,219 in Changsha versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,671 in Changsha versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Changsha costs roughly 24% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Changsha 42% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥18.96

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-52.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.61 ¥139

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-37.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 ¥33.80

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-32.57%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥20.57

$1.65 COP 5,207

84.85%

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

$0.42 ¥2.83

$1.10 COP 3,468

-61.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.83

$0.78 COP 2,458

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.39

$1.72 COP 5,412

-36.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.42

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-42.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ¥13.07

$1.10 COP 3,474

76.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 ¥15.79

$1.26 COP 3,962

85.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.20

$1.38 COP 4,349

-33.33%

Eggs

$1.60 ¥10.82

$2.18 COP 6,858

-26.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.68 ¥106

$4.49 COP 14.1K

249.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.03

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-46.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.28 ¥62.6

$8.97 COP 28.2K

3.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.84

$2.32 COP 7,308

-18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.10

$1.06 COP 3,352

27.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$1.52 COP 4,774

18.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.36 COP 4,270

31.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.02

$1.13 COP 3,552

-21.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.00

$1.17 COP 3,689

26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ¥3.41

$0.90 COP 2,838

-43.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.90 COP 2,823

-53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 ¥18.54

$2.23 COP 7,034

23.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.32 ¥83.1

$12.12 COP 38.2K

1.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ¥6.53

$1.19 COP 3,743

-18.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ¥9.68

$2.48 COP 7,815

-42.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.85 COP 2,687

-57.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.88 ¥93.7

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-66.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.21

$1.42 COP 4,459

-14.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$1.95 COP 6,141

-85.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 ¥55.8

$7.89 COP 24.8K

4.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.86

$0.99 COP 3,118

17.17%

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

$20.3K ¥137.1K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

15.36%

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

$21.9K ¥147.6K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-18.41%

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

$42.63 ¥288

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-48.64%

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

$12.25 ¥82.7

$9.70 COP 30.5K

26.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.78 ¥99.8

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-37.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 ¥397

$25.26 COP 79.5K

132.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.75 ¥154

$19.10 COP 60.1K

19.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 ¥38.86

$3.95 COP 12.4K

45.82%

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

$315 ¥2,129

$316 COP 994.2K

-0.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,268 ¥49.1K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

21.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 ¥563

$60.0 COP 188.9K

39.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.97 ¥209

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-2.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 ¥549

$102 COP 320.1K

-20.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 ¥475

$107 COP 338.3K

-34.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 ¥1,379

$475 COP 1.5M

-57.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 ¥1,125

$374 COP 1.2M

-55.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ¥3,451

$849 COP 2.7M

-39.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ¥2,385

$719 COP 2.3M

-50.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,585 ¥17.5K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-20.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,377 ¥9,294

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-4.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,111 ¥7,498

$624 COP 2.0M

77.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

13.43

-71.03%

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

Last update for Changsha: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $204 in Changsha and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changsha pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Changsha vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Changsha vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changsha and Medellin differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($767 vs $1,003 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 78% higher in Changsha, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $204 in Changsha versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changsha – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $767 per month in Changsha versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $767 in Changsha versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changsha but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Changsha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Changsha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.