Cost of Living Comparison Between Dongguan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dongguan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $762 in Dongguan versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,183 in Dongguan versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,605 in Dongguan versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Dongguan costs roughly 25% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dongguan 43% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.46 ¥16.65

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-58.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.48 ¥138

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-37.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 ¥29.40

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-38.65%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ¥18.35

$1.71 COP 6,115

58.48%

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

$0.44 ¥3.01

$1.10 COP 3,924

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.78 COP 2,781

-62.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥7.60

$1.68 COP 5,997

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ¥14.73

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-28.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥11.54

$1.09 COP 3,906

56.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.78

$1.26 COP 4,508

15.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.55

$1.38 COP 4,922

-29.71%

Eggs

$1.80 ¥12.18

$2.19 COP 7,827

-17.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 ¥88.0

$4.40 COP 15.7K

195.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.60

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-30.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.39 ¥77.0

$8.89 COP 31.8K

28.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.35

$2.34 COP 8,349

-21.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.85

$1.06 COP 3,777

37.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.22

$1.50 COP 5,374

20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 ¥9.17

$1.38 COP 4,924

-1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.82

$1.15 COP 4,111

-12.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.86

$1.16 COP 4,155

25.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.41

$0.89 COP 3,182

-26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.73

$0.84 COP 2,997

-34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.09

$2.28 COP 8,145

23.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.55 ¥98.4

$10.64 COP 38.0K

36.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥6.04

$1.20 COP 4,284

-25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.55

$2.47 COP 8,824

-24.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.86 COP 3,056

-66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 ¥143

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-48.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ¥8.63

$1.47 COP 5,264

-12.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.34

$1.96 COP 7,009

-82.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 ¥36.73

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-29.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.86

$0.95 COP 3,409

22.11%

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

$20.8K ¥140.5K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

14.59%

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

$20.5K ¥138.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-22.66%

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

$62.1 ¥420

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-24.47%

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

$8.36 ¥56.5

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-12.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.32 ¥83.3

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-49.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ¥409

$25.89 COP 92.4K

133.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 ¥89.5

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-30.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 ¥46.45

$3.93 COP 14.0K

74.81%

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

$451 ¥3,050

$309 COP 1.1M

45.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K ¥138.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

244.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.57 ¥200

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-49.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.49 ¥166

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-24.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 ¥418

$103 COP 366.4K

-39.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.57 ¥254

$108 COP 387.2K

-65.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 ¥2,442

$476 COP 1.7M

-24.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 ¥1,458

$379 COP 1.4M

-43.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 ¥4,674

$838 COP 3.0M

-17.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 ¥2,745

$724 COP 2.6M

-43.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,711 ¥38.6K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

104.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,110 ¥21.0K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

156.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$836 ¥5,653

$512 COP 1.8M

63.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

13.43

-69.92%

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

Last update for Dongguan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $361 in Dongguan and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dongguan pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Dongguan vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $188, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Dongguan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dongguan is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Dongguan pays 63% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $361 in Dongguan versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dongguan runs roughly 95% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $451 in Dongguan versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $762 in Dongguan versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dongguan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dongguan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dongguan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Dongguan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.