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: $770 in Changsha versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,221 in Changsha versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,673 in Changsha versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Changsha costs roughly 26% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Changsha 43% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 ¥19.63

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-51.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.69 ¥142

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-36.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.62

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-31.81%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ¥20.26

$1.70 COP 6,140

74.12%

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

$0.46 ¥3.16

$1.10 COP 3,966

-58.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.71

$0.72 COP 2,605

-65.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.45

$1.67 COP 6,022

-34.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.74

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ¥13.25

$1.06 COP 3,809

82.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 ¥15.35

$1.25 COP 4,497

79.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.25

$1.39 COP 5,022

-34.53%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥11.06

$2.26 COP 8,168

-28.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.92 ¥109

$4.33 COP 15.6K

267.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 ¥21.94

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-45.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 ¥60.9

$8.83 COP 31.9K

0.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.61

$2.24 COP 8,099

-17.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.16

$1.08 COP 3,882

24.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.19

$1.53 COP 5,522

16.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.43

$1.37 COP 4,950

32.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.07

$1.13 COP 4,078

-21.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.98

$1.12 COP 4,036

30.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.85 COP 3,057

-43.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ¥2.73

$0.91 COP 3,281

-56.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 ¥19.38

$2.33 COP 8,414

21.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 ¥84.8

$11.13 COP 40.2K

11.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥6.09

$1.19 COP 4,309

-25.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ¥9.83

$2.37 COP 8,553

-39.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ¥2.50

$0.79 COP 2,838

-53.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.21 ¥97.3

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-65.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ¥8.49

$1.44 COP 5,184

-13.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.78

$1.91 COP 6,901

-86.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 ¥55.7

$8.02 COP 28.9K

1.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥8.10

$0.94 COP 3,385

25.53%

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

$20.7K ¥142.1K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

15.75%

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

$21.9K ¥149.9K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-18.32%

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

$42.83 ¥293

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-48.99%

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

$12.61 ¥86.4

$9.60 COP 34.7K

31.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.52 ¥99.5

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-39.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 ¥391

$25.88 COP 93.4K

120.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.08 ¥158

$19.04 COP 68.7K

21.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.95 ¥40.75

$3.92 COP 14.1K

51.79%

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

$313 ¥2,144

$306 COP 1.1M

2.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,239 ¥49.6K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

22.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 ¥580

$57.9 COP 209.1K

46.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.31 ¥214

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 ¥563

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-17.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 ¥475

$107 COP 386.8K

-35.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 ¥1,424

$487 COP 1.8M

-57.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 ¥1,170

$368 COP 1.3M

-53.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ¥3,463

$826 COP 3.0M

-38.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ¥2,504

$716 COP 2.6M

-48.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ¥17.1K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-14.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,325 ¥9,073

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-5.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,094 ¥7,496

$546 COP 2.0M

100.60%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $208 in Changsha and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changsha pays 101% 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 $220 vs $190, 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 34% in total monthly costs ($770 vs $1,034 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Changsha pays 101% more on average, 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: $208 in Changsha versus $487 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 $770 per month in Changsha versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $770 in Changsha versus $1,034 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 34% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.