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: $752 in Changsha versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,227 in Changsha versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,701 in Changsha versus $2,188 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 44% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥19.03

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-52.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.63 ¥140

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-38.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ¥32.28

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-34.02%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥20.73

$1.63 COP 5,687

88.34%

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

$0.42 ¥2.85

$1.09 COP 3,821

-61.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.69

$0.73 COP 2,548

-65.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.74 COP 6,065

-36.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.56

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-42.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ¥12.95

$1.05 COP 3,662

82.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 ¥15.87

$1.29 COP 4,515

82.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.29

$1.32 COP 4,617

-29.55%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.01

$2.27 COP 7,927

-28.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥107

$4.35 COP 15.2K

265.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ¥20.79

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-47.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ¥61.0

$8.61 COP 30.0K

4.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.92

$2.25 COP 7,844

-15.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.72

$1.07 COP 3,733

20.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.97

$1.52 COP 5,322

16.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.25

$1.42 COP 4,964

27.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.00

$1.17 COP 4,084

-23.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.33

$1.17 COP 4,077

30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 ¥3.39

$0.89 COP 3,096

-43.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ¥2.87

$0.90 COP 3,146

-53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 ¥18.95

$2.25 COP 7,837

24.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 ¥84.3

$11.04 COP 38.5K

12.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥6.07

$1.14 COP 3,977

-21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ¥9.70

$2.38 COP 8,301

-39.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ¥2.29

$0.84 COP 2,916

-59.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.73 ¥92.9

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-67.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ¥8.69

$1.41 COP 4,912

-9.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.74

$1.90 COP 6,634

-86.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ¥55.8

$7.75 COP 27.0K

6.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.68

$1.01 COP 3,509

12.87%

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

$20.4K ¥137.7K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

15.80%

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

$21.6K ¥145.9K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-18.55%

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

$43.59 ¥295

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-47.91%

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

$12.35 ¥83.5

$9.45 COP 33.0K

30.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.65 ¥99.0

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-39.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ¥384

$25.31 COP 88.3K

124.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.83 ¥154

$19.14 COP 66.8K

19.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 ¥40.62

$4.10 COP 14.3K

46.59%

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

$311 ¥2,106

$312 COP 1.1M

-0.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 ¥50.3K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

24.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 ¥570

$58.0 COP 202.6K

45.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.02 ¥210

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-4.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ¥548

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-18.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 ¥470

$109 COP 378.8K

-35.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 ¥1,400

$482 COP 1.7M

-57.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ¥1,171

$379 COP 1.3M

-54.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ¥3,467

$837 COP 2.9M

-38.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ¥2,394

$723 COP 2.5M

-51.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,513 ¥17.0K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-11.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,370 ¥9,263

$1,223 COP 4.3M

12.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,109 ¥7,500

$541 COP 1.9M

105.06%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Changsha and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changsha pays 105% 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 $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 35% in total monthly costs ($752 vs $1,017 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Changsha pays 105% 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: $207 in Changsha versus $482 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 $752 per month in Changsha versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $752 in Changsha versus $1,017 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 35% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.