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: $752 in Dongguan versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,177 in Dongguan versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,602 in Dongguan versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Dongguan costs roughly 27% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dongguan 44% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.47 ¥16.72

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-59.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.71 ¥140

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-36.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.37 ¥29.58

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-40.46%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ¥17.68

$1.72 COP 5,600

51.74%

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

$0.42 ¥2.84

$1.05 COP 3,420

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.80

$0.77 COP 2,515

-64.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$1.69 COP 5,488

-33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ¥14.76

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-31.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ¥11.39

$1.05 COP 3,423

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ¥9.97

$1.30 COP 4,236

13.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.56

$1.40 COP 4,544

-30.71%

Eggs

$1.79 ¥12.15

$2.16 COP 7,047

-17.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 ¥86.8

$4.39 COP 14.3K

192.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 ¥27.12

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-31.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 ¥76.4

$8.64 COP 28.1K

30.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.74

$2.28 COP 7,426

-17.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.58

$1.11 COP 3,604

27.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.32

$1.53 COP 4,983

18.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.11

$1.35 COP 4,410

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.47

$1.13 COP 3,674

-15.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.78

$1.13 COP 3,692

28.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.21

$0.85 COP 2,753

-27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.03

$0.91 COP 2,975

-34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.30

$2.34 COP 7,630

21.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 ¥101

$12.37 COP 40.3K

20.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.41

$1.20 COP 3,909

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.88

$2.49 COP 8,104

-23.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.84 COP 2,728

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.26 ¥144

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-47.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$1.42 COP 4,623

-14.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.32

$1.92 COP 6,235

-82.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 ¥36.76

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-29.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$0.99 COP 3,223

19.19%

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

$21.2K ¥143.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

17.54%

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

$20.7K ¥140.1K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-22.24%

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

$62.5 ¥423

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-22.70%

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

$8.57 ¥58.0

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-13.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.21 ¥82.7

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-49.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 ¥404

$25.08 COP 81.7K

138.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.34 ¥90.3

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-30.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 ¥48.09

$3.98 COP 13.0K

78.64%

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

$451 ¥3,051

$305 COP 993.5K

47.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K ¥138.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

238.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.95 ¥203

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-48.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.56 ¥166

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-23.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 ¥417

$101 COP 327.9K

-38.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.54 ¥254

$108 COP 350.8K

-65.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ¥2,403

$477 COP 1.6M

-25.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ¥1,449

$376 COP 1.2M

-43.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$679 ¥4,592

$845 COP 2.7M

-19.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 ¥2,791

$730 COP 2.4M

-43.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,717 ¥38.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

77.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,004 ¥20.3K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

118.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 ¥5,725

$617 COP 2.0M

37.14%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $355 in Dongguan and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dongguan pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Dongguan vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $193, 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 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Dongguan, 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: $355 in Dongguan versus $477 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 91% 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 $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $752 in Dongguan versus $1,031 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 37% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.