Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $670 per month in Chengdu vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Chengdu vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,478 per month in Chengdu vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Chengdu is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chengdu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 50% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 ¥19.42

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-52.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.02 ¥165

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-26.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ¥32.72

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-33.61%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ¥19.01

$1.70 COP 6,186

62.94%

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

$0.43 ¥2.95

$1.10 COP 3,996

-60.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.08

$0.72 COP 2,625

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.75

$1.67 COP 6,067

-32.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.97

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-34.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ¥12.45

$1.06 COP 3,837

71.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.92

$1.25 COP 4,531

16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.32

$1.39 COP 5,060

-33.81%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.28

$2.26 COP 8,229

-14.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 ¥92.5

$4.33 COP 15.8K

211.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 ¥24.11

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-39.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 ¥76.8

$8.83 COP 32.1K

27.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 ¥13.16

$2.24 COP 8,159

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.39

$1.08 COP 3,911

13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.24

$1.53 COP 5,563

-2.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.40

$1.37 COP 4,987

-21.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.75

$1.13 COP 4,109

-38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$1.12 COP 4,067

-36.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.84

$0.85 COP 3,080

-34.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.14

$0.91 COP 3,305

-34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥23.21

$2.33 COP 8,477

45.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 ¥38.20

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-49.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.88

$1.19 COP 4,342

-15.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ¥12.26

$2.37 COP 8,617

-24.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.96

$0.79 COP 2,859

-45.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.53 ¥189

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-33.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ¥8.79

$1.44 COP 5,223

-11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.77

$1.91 COP 6,952

-86.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 ¥29.16

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-46.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥8.07

$0.94 COP 3,410

25.53%

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

$18.7K ¥127.9K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

4.19%

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

$16.3K ¥111.9K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-39.00%

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

$43.81 ¥300

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-47.82%

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

$11.49 ¥78.7

$9.60 COP 34.9K

19.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 ¥80.3

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-51.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.26 ¥166

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-6.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.27 ¥77.2

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-40.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 ¥39.23

$3.92 COP 14.2K

46.17%

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

$340 ¥2,326

$306 COP 1.1M

10.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K ¥83.4K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

105.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.27 ¥255

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-35.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ¥268

$31.82 COP 115.7K

23.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 ¥450

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-34.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 ¥345

$107 COP 389.7K

-52.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 ¥2,112

$487 COP 1.8M

-36.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ¥1,242

$368 COP 1.3M

-50.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,258

$826 COP 3.0M

-24.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ¥2,263

$716 COP 2.6M

-53.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,887 ¥26.6K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

32.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 ¥14.0K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

45.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,210 ¥8,287

$546 COP 2.0M

121.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

13.43

-68.65%

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

Last update for Chengdu: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $308 in Chengdu versus $487 in Medellin. 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 122% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Chengdu vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $670 in Chengdu, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 54% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,006 per month in Chengdu and $1,550 in Medellin. 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 $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $670 in Chengdu and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chengdu, where all-in costs run around $670, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Chengdu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $670 in Chengdu to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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