Cost of Living Comparison Between Changzhou and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Changzhou and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $708 in Changzhou versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,160 in Changzhou versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,612 in Changzhou versus $2,192 in Medellin.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 ¥19.24

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-52.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.70 ¥181

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-18.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.24 ¥28.74

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-40.20%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥20.00

$1.71 COP 6,093

72.51%

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

$0.48 ¥3.22

$1.10 COP 3,910

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.68

$0.78 COP 2,771

-67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 ¥4.66

$1.68 COP 5,976

-58.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ¥9.64

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-53.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ¥13.49

$1.09 COP 3,892

82.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ¥8.61

$1.26 COP 4,492

0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.30

$1.38 COP 4,905

-32.61%

Eggs

$1.80 ¥12.18

$2.19 COP 7,799

-17.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 ¥46.08

$4.40 COP 15.7K

54.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.41 ¥16.33

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-57.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 ¥63.9

$8.89 COP 31.6K

6.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ¥12.00

$2.34 COP 8,319

-24.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$1.06 COP 3,764

68.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ¥11.16

$1.50 COP 5,355

10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.51

$1.38 COP 4,906

-30.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.96

$1.15 COP 4,097

-36.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.22

$1.16 COP 4,141

-20.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ¥2.65

$0.89 COP 3,170

-56.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ¥3.30

$0.84 COP 2,986

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 ¥20.42

$2.28 COP 8,116

32.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 ¥69.9

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-3.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.65

$1.20 COP 4,268

-42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥11.00

$2.47 COP 8,793

-34.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ¥2.01

$0.86 COP 3,045

-65.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.20 ¥89.4

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-68.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ¥9.14

$1.47 COP 5,245

-8.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$1.96 COP 6,984

-85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ¥18.34

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-64.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.85

$0.95 COP 3,397

22.11%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

-15.18%

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

$17.4K ¥117.7K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-34.40%

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

$44.68 ¥303

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-45.68%

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

$11.47 ¥77.7

$9.50 COP 33.8K

20.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.22 ¥123

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-24.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.78 ¥263

$25.89 COP 92.1K

49.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 ¥95.5

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-25.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 ¥43.53

$3.93 COP 14.0K

63.61%

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

$230 ¥1,560

$309 COP 1.1M

-25.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ¥94.0K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

132.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 ¥313

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-21.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.00 ¥176

$32.35 COP 115.1K

-19.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 ¥478

$103 COP 365.1K

-31.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 ¥467

$108 COP 385.8K

-36.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 ¥1,931

$476 COP 1.7M

-40.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ¥1,384

$379 COP 1.3M

-46.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 ¥5,715

$838 COP 3.0M

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 ¥3,196

$724 COP 2.6M

-34.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,967 ¥20.1K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

6.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,597 ¥10.8K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

31.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,140 ¥7,722

$512 COP 1.8M

122.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

13.43

-75.06%

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

Last update for Changzhou: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Changzhou and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changzhou pays 123% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Changzhou vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $188 per month, with Changzhou cheaper across the board.

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

Changzhou vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Changzhou pays 123% 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: $285 in Changzhou versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Changzhou – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $708 in Changzhou versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changzhou but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Changzhou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Changzhou 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.

Expats usually find Changzhou 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.