Cost of Living Comparison Between Changshu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Changshu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $709 in Changshu versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,130 in Changshu versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in Changshu versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Changshu costs roughly 30% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Changshu 47% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥19.05

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-53.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.75 ¥147

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-33.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.29

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-30.75%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥20.77

$1.71 COP 6,093

79.53%

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

$0.44 ¥2.96

$1.10 COP 3,910

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.78 COP 2,771

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.90

$1.68 COP 5,976

-48.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.86

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-33.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ¥12.77

$1.09 COP 3,892

72.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ¥10.53

$1.26 COP 4,492

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.40

$1.38 COP 4,905

-31.16%

Eggs

$1.55 ¥10.47

$2.19 COP 7,799

-29.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ¥87.2

$4.40 COP 15.7K

192.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.79

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-42.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 ¥69.9

$8.89 COP 31.6K

16.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$2.34 COP 8,319

-23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.24

$1.06 COP 3,764

15.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.06

$1.50 COP 5,355

-0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.47

$1.38 COP 4,906

-20.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ¥5.00

$1.15 COP 4,097

-35.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.50

$1.16 COP 4,141

-17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.89 COP 3,170

-37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.76

$0.84 COP 2,986

-34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ¥21.33

$2.28 COP 8,116

38.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 ¥71.8

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$1.20 COP 4,268

-34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.66

$2.47 COP 8,793

-36.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.86 COP 3,045

-66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.75 ¥113

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-59.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ¥9.69

$1.47 COP 5,245

-2.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$1.96 COP 6,984

-83.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ¥46.42

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-11.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.62

$0.95 COP 3,397

17.89%

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

$19.6K ¥132.4K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

7.85%

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

$17.3K ¥117.3K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-34.60%

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

$44.27 ¥300

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-46.18%

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

$9.92 ¥67.2

$9.50 COP 33.8K

4.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.49 ¥77.8

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-52.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.00 ¥278

$25.89 COP 92.1K

58.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.92 ¥94.3

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-26.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.04 ¥40.91

$3.93 COP 14.0K

53.69%

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

$335 ¥2,268

$309 COP 1.1M

8.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ¥116.1K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

187.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.70 ¥296

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-25.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.70 ¥208

$32.35 COP 115.1K

-5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ¥490

$103 COP 365.1K

-29.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ¥489

$108 COP 385.8K

-33.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 ¥1,854

$476 COP 1.7M

-42.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 ¥1,327

$379 COP 1.3M

-48.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 ¥4,079

$838 COP 3.0M

-28.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ¥2,478

$724 COP 2.6M

-49.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,045 ¥20.6K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

9.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,017 ¥13.7K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

66.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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 Changshu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $274 in Changshu and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in Changshu vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $188, 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

Changshu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changshu is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,064 in Changshu and $1,519 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $274 in Changshu versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changshu – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $709 per month in Changshu versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $709 in Changshu versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changshu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Changshu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Changshu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Changshu and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Changshu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.