😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,487 in Gimhae versus $1,013 in Medellin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,342 in Gimhae versus $1,602 in Medellin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,196 in Gimhae versus $2,192 in Medellin.
😐Living in Gimhae is roughly 47% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Gimhae is 11% above, Medellin is 24% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gimhae
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.98₩10.6K
$5.99COP 21.4K
16.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.17₩54.8K
$32.86COP 117.4K
10.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.22₩9,431
$7.09COP 25.3K
-12.27%
Cappuccino
$4.18₩6,337
$1.71COP 6,115
144.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88₩2,845
$1.10COP 3,924
70.91%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33₩2,009
$0.78COP 2,781
70.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.57₩5,412
$1.68COP 5,997
112.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.92₩8,964
$3.07COP 11.0K
92.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gimhae
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.31₩3,504
$1.09COP 3,906
111.93%
White Bread(500g)
$3.51₩5,317
$1.26COP 4,508
178.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.99₩4,536
$1.38COP 4,922
116.67%
Eggs
$3.01₩4,562
$2.19COP 7,827
37.44%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.42₩15.8K
$4.40COP 15.7K
136.82%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.00₩12.1K
$5.63COP 20.1K
42.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$27.52₩41.7K
$8.89COP 31.8K
209.56%
Apples(1kg)
$8.30₩12.6K
$2.34COP 8,349
254.70%
Banana(1kg)
$3.23₩4,887
$1.06COP 3,777
204.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$7.29₩11.0K
$1.50COP 5,374
386.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.20₩7,875
$1.38COP 4,924
276.81%
Potato(1kg)
$5.12₩7,758
$1.15COP 4,111
345.22%
Onion(1kg)
$2.92₩4,429
$1.16COP 4,155
151.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.04₩3,086
$0.89COP 3,182
129.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17₩1,768
$0.84COP 2,997
39.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.35₩5,081
$2.28COP 8,145
46.93%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.45₩24.9K
$10.64COP 38.0K
54.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77₩2,677
$1.20COP 4,284
47.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34₩5,061
$2.47COP 8,824
35.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Gimhae
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.07₩1,626
$0.86COP 3,056
24.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.40COP 147.9K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.61₩5,466
$1.47COP 5,264
145.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.78₩1,188
$1.96COP 7,009
-60.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.51₩25.0K
$7.74COP 27.6K
113.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.22₩1,855
$0.95COP 3,409
28.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K₩41.8M
$18.1KCOP 64.7M
52.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K₩37.3M
$26.5KCOP 94.6M
-7.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gimhae
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$189₩286.5K
$82.3COP 293.7K
129.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$50.6₩76.6K
$9.50COP 33.9K
432.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.71₩42.0K
$24.23COP 86.5K
14.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gimhae
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.25₩71.6K
$25.89COP 92.4K
82.50%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.00COP 67.9K
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.60₩17.6K
$3.93COP 14.0K
195.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gimhae
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$490₩743.1K
$309COP 1.1M
58.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.9K₩21.1M
$5,965COP 21.3M
133.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gimhae
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102₩154.4K
$58.7COP 209.5K
73.68%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.96₩71.2K
$32.35COP 115.5K
45.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.8₩133.0K
$103COP 366.4K
-14.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116₩175.8K
$108COP 387.2K
6.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gimhae
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$447₩676.7K
$476COP 1.7M
-6.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$381₩576.6K
$379COP 1.4M
0.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,060₩1.6M
$838COP 3.0M
26.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$752₩1.1M
$724COP 2.6M
3.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,333₩12.6M
$2,791COP 10.0M
198.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,964₩9.0M
$1,211COP 4.3M
392.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gimhae
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,253₩3.4M
$512COP 1.8M
340.23%
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 Gimhae: May 31, 2026
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Gimhae and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Gimhae pays 340% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $36.00 in Gimhae vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $444 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.
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
Gimhae vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gimhae or Medellin?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Gimhae. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gimhae or Medellin?
Gimhae pays 340% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Gimhae vs Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $447 in Gimhae versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gimhae and Medellin?
Childcare runs $490 in Gimhae versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Gimhae vs Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $36.00 in Gimhae. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Gimhae or Medellin?
At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,487 in Gimhae, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Gimhae. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gimhae or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.
How safe is Gimhae compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Gimhae and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Gimhae. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.