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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $759 per month in Chengdu vs $766 in Manizales, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,226 per month in Chengdu vs $1,743 in Manizales, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,692 per month in Chengdu vs $2,721 in Manizales, rent included.

Chengdu is about 1% cheaper than Manizales, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chengdu and Manizales are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 44% lower, Manizales 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 ¥19.51

$6.42 COP 20.0K

-54.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.82 ¥133

$41.11 COP 128.3K

-51.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 ¥35.77

$10.27 COP 32.0K

-48.00%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ¥19.39

$2.56 COP 7,974

12.89%

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

$0.50 ¥3.36

$1.37 COP 4,287

-63.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.83 COP 2,594

-66.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.79

$1.59 COP 4,950

-8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ¥16.37

$2.61 COP 8,147

-6.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.08

$1.61 COP 5,038

11.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.16

$2.44 COP 7,617

-31.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.25

$1.67 COP 5,206

-44.31%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.30

$3.85 COP 12.0K

-60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.12 ¥94.6

$7.91 COP 24.7K

78.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 ¥23.44

$7.50 COP 23.4K

-53.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.43 ¥76.6

$10.86 COP 33.9K

5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ¥12.40

$3.54 COP 11.1K

-47.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.48

$1.82 COP 5,693

-30.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.12

$2.05 COP 6,404

-48.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$1.85 COP 5,768

-32.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.71

$1.54 COP 4,799

-54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.86

$1.46 COP 4,554

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.58

$1.39 COP 4,335

-51.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.70

$1.22 COP 3,822

-54.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥25.31

$4.59 COP 14.3K

-17.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.45 ¥36.48

$12.73 COP 39.7K

-57.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$1.44 COP 4,478

-47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ¥9.82

$2.86 COP 8,923

-48.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ¥3.11

$1.08 COP 3,363

-57.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.55 ¥164

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 ¥8.82

$1.64 COP 5,121

-19.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.91

$1.64 COP 5,107

-82.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 ¥29.78

$9.88 COP 30.8K

-54.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.30

$1.38 COP 4,297

-10.14%

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

$19.6K ¥131.0K

$22.3K COP 69.6M

-12.26%

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

$17.6K ¥118.1K

$35.3K COP 110.1M

-50.00%

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

$41.28 ¥276

$129 COP 401.8K

-67.94%

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

$9.61 ¥64.4

$12.46 COP 38.9K

-22.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.79 ¥85.7

$31.40 COP 98.0K

-59.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.65 ¥179

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ¥74.1

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 ¥39.74

$7.95 COP 24.8K

-25.41%

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

$411 ¥2,752

$489 COP 1.5M

-16.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ¥98.9K

$6,507 COP 20.3M

126.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.38 ¥197

$83.4 COP 260.3K

-64.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.00 ¥201

$49.64 COP 154.9K

-39.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 ¥405

$144 COP 448.8K

-57.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 ¥343

$112 COP 350.2K

-54.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 ¥3,247

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ¥1,747

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 ¥5,761

$1,041 COP 3.2M

-17.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 ¥3,755

$1,038 COP 3.2M

-45.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,788 ¥25.4K

$2,136 COP 6.7M

77.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 ¥13.2K

$2,123 COP 6.6M

-7.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,276 ¥8,546

$1,213 COP 3.8M

5.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

-71.83%

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

Last update for Chengdu: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manizales: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 5% 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 $20.00 in Chengdu versus $41.00 in Manizales. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $269 – making Chengdu 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: $759 in Chengdu, $766 in Manizales – roughly 1% apart. Manizales costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,139 per month in Chengdu and $1,149 in Manizales. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chengdu and $41.00 in Manizales. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Manizales, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $759 in Chengdu and $766 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 $759 in Chengdu to $766 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.