Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Manizales Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Manizales

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $677 per month in Chengdu vs $729 in Manizales, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Chengdu vs $1,080 in Manizales, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,472 per month in Chengdu vs $1,430 in Manizales, rent included.

Chengdu is about 7% cheaper than Manizales, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chengdu and Manizales are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 49% lower, Manizales 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 ¥19.09

$3.58 COP 11.7K

-21.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.08 ¥163

$17.01 COP 55.4K

41.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ¥33.66

$7.97 COP 25.9K

-37.64%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ¥18.71

$1.36 COP 4,440

102.94%

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

$0.43 ¥2.92

$0.75 COP 2,437

-42.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.52 COP 1,699

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.10 COP 3,584

3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.97

$2.15 COP 6,985

-4.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ¥12.28

$0.96 COP 3,118

88.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.39

$1.48 COP 4,808

-6.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.31

$1.12 COP 3,646

-16.96%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.96 COP 6,395

-1.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 ¥93.2

$4.68 COP 15.2K

194.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ¥24.41

$5.04 COP 16.4K

-28.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 ¥76.6

$7.32 COP 23.8K

54.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.94

$2.95 COP 9,600

-35.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$0.99 COP 3,229

23.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.18

$1.32 COP 4,289

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.90

$1.23 COP 4,014

-17.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.81

$1.08 COP 3,531

-34.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.76

$1.12 COP 3,656

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.09

$0.78 COP 2,547

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.16

$0.80 COP 2,602

-23.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥23.02

$2.46 COP 7,997

38.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 ¥37.19

$10.65 COP 34.7K

-48.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$1.11 COP 3,599

-14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.53

$1.90 COP 6,193

-2.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.71 COP 2,315

-39.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.94 ¥189

$26.98 COP 87.8K

3.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ¥8.38

$1.18 COP 3,840

5.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$1.30 COP 4,221

-78.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 ¥28.15

$6.08 COP 19.8K

-31.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.95

$1.00 COP 3,264

17.00%

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

$18.5K ¥125.0K

$15.5K COP 50.5M

18.96%

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

$16.7K ¥112.7K

$24.8K COP 80.7M

-32.85%

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

$44.66 ¥302

$59.0 COP 192.0K

-24.28%

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

$11.53 ¥78.1

$8.88 COP 28.9K

29.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥76.7

$25.66 COP 83.5K

-55.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.18 ¥164

$26.82 COP 87.3K

-9.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 ¥78.2

$19.49 COP 63.4K

-40.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.69 ¥38.53

$3.23 COP 10.5K

76.16%

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

$330 ¥2,232

$244 COP 794.5K

35.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ¥83.5K

$8,483 COP 27.6M

45.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.54 ¥254

$38.14 COP 124.2K

-1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.48 ¥260

$31.03 COP 101.0K

24.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 ¥452

$64.5 COP 209.8K

3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.0 ¥339

$61.1 COP 199.0K

-18.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 ¥2,165

$263 COP 857.7K

21.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ¥1,237

$219 COP 712.9K

-16.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ¥4,138

$425 COP 1.4M

44.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ¥2,224

$300 COP 975.5K

9.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,785 ¥25.6K

$1,795 COP 5.8M

110.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,925 ¥13.0K

$1,593 COP 5.2M

20.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 ¥8,647

$902 COP 2.9M

41.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

-61.73%

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

Last update for Chengdu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Manizales: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Chengdu versus $263 in Manizales. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Chengdu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu versus $17.00 in Manizales. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $179 – making Manizales the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chengdu vs Manizales: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $677 in Chengdu, $729 in Manizales – roughly 8% apart. Manizales costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Chengdu and $1,094 in Manizales. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu and $17.00 in Manizales. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $677 in Chengdu and $729 in Manizales. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $677 in Chengdu and $729 in Manizales, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manizales has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $677 in Chengdu to $729 in Manizales. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manizales makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.