Cost of Living Comparison Between Foshan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Foshan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $753 in Foshan versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,220 in Foshan versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,687 in Foshan versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Foshan costs roughly 26% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Foshan 44% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.22 ¥21.80

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-46.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.60 ¥153

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-31.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥33.76

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-29.62%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ¥21.42

$1.71 COP 6,105

84.80%

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

$0.46 ¥3.10

$1.10 COP 3,918

-58.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.78 COP 2,776

-64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.38

$1.68 COP 5,987

-35.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.19

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-46.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥12.14

$1.09 COP 3,899

64.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.24

$1.26 COP 4,500

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$1.38 COP 4,914

-11.59%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥12.66

$2.19 COP 7,813

-14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 ¥88.0

$4.40 COP 15.7K

195.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 ¥26.13

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-31.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.6

$8.89 COP 31.7K

50.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.25

$2.34 COP 8,334

-22.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.57

$1.06 COP 3,771

19.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.70

$1.50 COP 5,365

15.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.48

$1.38 COP 4,915

1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.79

$1.15 COP 4,104

-13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.08

$1.16 COP 4,148

-9.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.71

$0.89 COP 3,176

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.11

$0.84 COP 2,992

-27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 ¥24.06

$2.28 COP 8,131

55.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.24 ¥69.3

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-3.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ¥6.51

$1.20 COP 4,276

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ¥9.48

$2.47 COP 8,809

-43.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.86 COP 3,051

-68.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.02 ¥74.6

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-73.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 ¥11.58

$1.47 COP 5,255

16.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$1.96 COP 6,997

-82.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 ¥46.91

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-10.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.92

$0.95 COP 3,403

23.16%

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

$21.3K ¥144.1K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

17.44%

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

$19.6K ¥132.4K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-26.17%

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

$65.1 ¥441

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-20.81%

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

$10.20 ¥69.1

$9.50 COP 33.9K

7.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.90 ¥87.3

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-46.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.9 ¥453

$25.89 COP 92.3K

158.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.34 ¥138

$19.00 COP 67.7K

7.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 ¥42.10

$3.93 COP 14.0K

58.27%

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

$415 ¥2,809

$309 COP 1.1M

34.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K ¥123.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

205.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.80 ¥290

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-27.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.67 ¥194

$32.35 COP 115.3K

-11.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 ¥477

$103 COP 365.7K

-31.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ¥527

$108 COP 386.5K

-28.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 ¥1,894

$476 COP 1.7M

-41.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 ¥958

$379 COP 1.4M

-62.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 ¥3,927

$838 COP 3.0M

-30.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ¥2,119

$724 COP 2.6M

-56.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,353 ¥29.5K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

55.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,819 ¥12.3K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

50.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$793 ¥5,367

$512 COP 1.8M

54.94%

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 Foshan: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Foshan and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Foshan pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Foshan vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 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

Foshan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Foshan is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Foshan pays 55% 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: $280 in Foshan versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Foshan runs roughly 276% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $415 in Foshan versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $753 in Foshan versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Foshan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Foshan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Foshan 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 Foshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.