Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaozhou and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaozhou and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $642 in Chaozhou versus $1,555 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,041 in Chaozhou versus $2,314 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,439 in Chaozhou versus $3,072 in Medellin.

Living in Chaozhou costs roughly 59% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chaozhou is 52% below, Medellin is 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ¥15.13

$7.59 COP 24.7K

-70.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.83 ¥160

$44.78 COP 145.7K

-46.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.61 ¥24.18

$9.24 COP 30.1K

-60.93%

Cappuccino

$1.47 ¥9.85

$2.95 COP 9,591

-50.17%

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

$0.45 ¥3.02

$1.80 COP 5,861

-75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$1.35 COP 4,391

-78.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.12

$2.93 COP 9,544

-58.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ¥19.94

$5.46 COP 17.8K

-45.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ¥9.70

$1.43 COP 4,663

1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥10.09

$2.39 COP 7,785

-36.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ¥4.94

$1.60 COP 5,209

-53.75%

Eggs

$1.15 ¥7.69

$2.88 COP 9,364

-60.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.65 ¥64.7

$9.71 COP 31.6K

-0.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.53 ¥16.94

$9.44 COP 30.7K

-73.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 ¥81.2

$13.24 COP 43.1K

-8.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ¥15.32

$3.75 COP 12.2K

-39.20%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.68

$1.45 COP 4,703

-41.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.04

$2.10 COP 6,829

-57.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.27

$2.13 COP 6,930

-14.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$1.92 COP 6,259

-68.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ¥3.11

$1.53 COP 4,984

-69.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ¥2.95

$1.09 COP 3,549

-59.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$1.18 COP 3,843

-75.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ¥20.33

$3.79 COP 12.3K

-20.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 ¥76.3

$13.16 COP 42.8K

-13.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.94

$1.64 COP 5,337

-54.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 ¥7.75

$2.28 COP 7,410

-49.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.10

$1.18 COP 3,825

-73.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 ¥125

$73.6 COP 239.5K

-74.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$1.28 COP 4,157

-27.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.94

$1.98 COP 6,434

-85.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.13 ¥47.80

$7.89 COP 25.7K

-9.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.84

$1.29 COP 4,211

-9.30%

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

$19.4K ¥130.4K

$26.8K COP 87.2M

-27.38%

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

$17.7K ¥118.4K

$34.7K COP 112.9M

-49.09%

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

$44.02 ¥295

$158 COP 513.6K

-72.11%

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

$4.22 ¥28.28

$13.39 COP 43.6K

-68.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.21 ¥75.2

$27.28 COP 88.8K

-58.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.19 ¥276

$44.15 COP 143.7K

-6.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.58 ¥97.7

$15.99 COP 52.0K

-8.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ¥43.25

$6.39 COP 20.8K

0.94%

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

$496 ¥3,326

$777 COP 2.5M

-36.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ¥163.1K

$8,800 COP 28.6M

176.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.19 ¥88.4

$82.7 COP 269.2K

-84.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.68 ¥186

$56.1 COP 182.6K

-50.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 ¥608

$131 COP 425.7K

-30.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.6 ¥393

$95.9 COP 312.1K

-38.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ¥1,896

$1,006 COP 3.3M

-71.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ¥1,242

$627 COP 2.0M

-70.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ¥4,111

$1,826 COP 5.9M

-66.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ¥2,491

$969 COP 3.2M

-61.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,103 ¥20.8K

$3,907 COP 12.7M

-20.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,944 ¥13.0K

$1,576 COP 5.1M

23.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ¥3,309

$620 COP 2.0M

-20.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

10.94

-68.37%

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

Last update for Chaozhou: September 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Chaozhou and $1,006 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Chaozhou vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $285 per month, with Chaozhou 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

Chaozhou vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chaozhou and Medellin differ by about 142% in total monthly costs ($642 vs $1,555 including rent). Chaozhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $283 in Chaozhou versus $1,006 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $496 in Chaozhou versus $777 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $642 in Chaozhou versus $1,555 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chaozhou but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chaozhou 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 Chaozhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.