Cost of Living Comparison Between Chungju and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chungju and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,445 per month in Chungju vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,269 per month in Chungju vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,092 per month in Chungju vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Chungju costs about 42% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chungju sits 8% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.99 ₩10.6K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

17.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.05 ₩56.3K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

11.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 ₩9,474

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-13.69%

Cappuccino

$4.13 ₩6,279

$1.63 COP 5,687

153.37%

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

$1.86 ₩2,818

$1.09 COP 3,821

70.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₩2,109

$0.73 COP 2,548

90.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₩5,695

$1.74 COP 6,065

115.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 ₩9,185

$3.23 COP 11.3K

87.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩3,264

$1.05 COP 3,662

104.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₩4,591

$1.29 COP 4,515

134.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,725

$1.32 COP 4,617

135.61%

Eggs

$2.91 ₩4,419

$2.27 COP 7,927

28.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ₩15.7K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

137.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 ₩11.0K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

23.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.62 ₩41.9K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

220.79%

Apples (1kg)

$8.59 ₩13.0K

$2.25 COP 7,844

281.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 ₩4,940

$1.07 COP 3,733

203.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.50 ₩11.4K

$1.52 COP 5,322

393.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 ₩7,877

$1.42 COP 4,964

265.49%

Potato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,772

$1.17 COP 4,084

337.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 ₩4,658

$1.17 COP 4,077

162.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,065

$0.89 COP 3,096

126.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,825

$0.90 COP 3,146

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,912

$2.25 COP 7,837

43.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 ₩24.6K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

46.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₩2,582

$1.14 COP 3,977

49.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ₩4,446

$2.38 COP 8,301

23.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,704

$0.84 COP 2,916

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₩5,420

$1.41 COP 4,912

153.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₩1,216

$1.90 COP 6,634

-57.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.40 ₩24.9K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

111.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,825

$1.01 COP 3,509

18.81%

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

$27.9K ₩42.3M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

58.43%

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

$24.9K ₩37.8M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-6.12%

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

$189 ₩286.7K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

125.61%

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

$26.89 ₩40.8K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

184.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.01 ₩42.5K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

16.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 ₩71.1K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

85.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 ₩17.5K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

180.49%

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

$487 ₩739.5K

$312 COP 1.1M

56.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.6M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

137.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 ₩111.2K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

26.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.86 ₩56.0K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

13.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 ₩111.2K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-26.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₩164.7K

$109 COP 378.8K

-0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ₩675.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

-7.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₩581.8K

$379 COP 1.3M

0.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 ₩1.6M

$837 COP 2.9M

26.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ₩1.1M

$723 COP 2.5M

4.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,607 ₩14.6M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

238.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,250 ₩8.0M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

329.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,494 ₩2.3M

$541 COP 1.9M

176.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

13.43

-68.58%

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

Last update for Chungju: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Chungju versus $482 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 176% higher in Chungju, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chungju versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $435 vs $190 – making Medellin 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

Chungju vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chungju costs about 42% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,168 per month in Chungju and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,445 in Chungju and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in Chungju and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Chungju at $1,445. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chungju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $1,445 in Chungju. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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