Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gongju and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Gongju: $1,522 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Gongju, South Korea
Medellin, Colombia
Gongju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,522
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gongju and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gongju and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,522 per month in Gongju vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Gongju $1,522
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $2,522 per month in Gongju vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Gongju $2,522
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $3,522 per month in Gongju vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Gongju $3,522
  • Medellin $3,249

Gongju is about 10% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Gongju and Medellin sit above the global median – Gongju by 13%, Medellin by 25%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gongju
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.24 ₩9,731
$8.34 COP 27.0K
-13.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.72 ₩64.1K
$46.53 COP 150.9K
2.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.68 ₩8,978
$9.47 COP 30.7K
-29.46%
Cappuccino
$3.70 ₩4,973
$3.13 COP 10.2K
18.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 ₩2,423
$1.77 COP 5,728
1.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 ₩1,854
$1.42 COP 4,620
-2.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.65 ₩4,909
$3.15 COP 10.2K
15.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.18 ₩5,620
$5.70 COP 18.5K
-26.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gongju
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.34 ₩3,139
$1.53 COP 4,971
52.94%
White Bread (500g)
$3.22 ₩4,331
$2.29 COP 7,431
40.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.03 ₩4,071
$1.94 COP 6,308
56.19%
Eggs
$2.68 ₩3,598
$3.07 COP 9,945
-12.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.83 ₩14.6K
$9.99 COP 32.4K
8.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 ₩14.0K
$10.45 COP 33.9K
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.97 ₩33.6K
$13.96 COP 45.3K
78.87%
Apples (1kg)
$11.02 ₩14.8K
$4.05 COP 13.1K
172.10%
Banana (1kg)
$3.65 ₩4,907
$1.53 COP 4,957
138.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.16 ₩11.0K
$2.10 COP 6,825
288.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.03 ₩8,101
$2.29 COP 7,439
163.32%
Potato (1kg)
$5.80 ₩7,792
$2.11 COP 6,841
174.88%
Onion (1kg)
$3.25 ₩4,361
$1.71 COP 5,543
90.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.86 ₩3,837
$1.17 COP 3,795
144.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 ₩1,710
$1.58 COP 5,125
-19.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.41 ₩4,586
$3.91 COP 12.7K
-12.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.26 ₩24.5K
$14.04 COP 45.6K
30.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.38 ₩3,193
$1.76 COP 5,714
35.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60 ₩4,839
$2.71 COP 8,796
32.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Gongju
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.20 ₩1,609
$1.18 COP 3,826
1.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$76.3 COP 247.4K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.64 ₩4,887
$1.81 COP 5,860
101.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.67 ₩897
$2.13 COP 6,906
-68.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.65 ₩19.7K
$8.13 COP 26.4K
80.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 ₩1,873
$1.28 COP 4,136
8.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.8K ₩53.4M
$34.4K COP 111.7M
15.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K ₩45.2M
$34.1K COP 110.7M
-1.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gongju
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$200 ₩269.2K
$178 COP 576.4K
12.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.89 ₩49.6K
$13.89 COP 45.0K
165.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.87 ₩36.1K
$30.74 COP 99.7K
-12.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gongju
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.3 ₩78.3K
$41.94 COP 136.0K
38.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.41 ₩20.7K
$16.80 COP 54.5K
-8.27%
Cinema Ticket
$11.77 ₩15.8K
$7.47 COP 24.2K
57.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gongju
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$636 ₩855.1K
$790 COP 2.6M
-19.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.6K ₩29.0M
$12.3K COP 39.9M
75.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gongju
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 ₩141.2K
$86.3 COP 280.0K
21.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.5 ₩86.6K
$59.3 COP 192.2K
8.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.4 ₩124.2K
$138 COP 448.7K
-33.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 ₩172.0K
$98.8 COP 320.5K
29.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gongju
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$424 ₩569.2K
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-68.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$343 ₩460.6K
$667 COP 2.2M
-48.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 ₩1.9M
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-28.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$936 ₩1.3M
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-9.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,877 ₩9.2M
$4,098 COP 13.3M
67.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,486 ₩7.4M
$1,940 COP 6.3M
182.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gongju
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,309 ₩1.8M
$646 COP 2.1M
102.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.22
10.94
-61.43%

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

Last update for Gongju: November 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Gongju
$484
Medellin
$307 36.5% $177
Accommodation & Living
Gongju
$343
Medellin
$667 94.7% $324
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gongju
$264
Medellin
$222 15.8% $42
Clothing & Footwear
Gongju
$175
Medellin
$172 1.8% $3.2
Eating Out
Gongju
$162
Medellin
$173 6.7% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Gongju
$82
Medellin
$57 30.5% $25
Getting Around
Gongju
$12 *
Medellin
$93 695% $82

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Gongju versus $1,341 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 in Gongju are about 2 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Gongju versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $484 vs $307 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Gongju
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
18:54 6:54 PM
04:54 4:54 AM
14 h behind Gongju
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
110,428
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 1,344 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,243 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,636 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gongju Medellin 14,710 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gongju
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Gongju vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Gongju and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,522 in Gongju, $1,692 in Medellin – Gongju comes out roughly 10% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Gongju compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,283 per month in Gongju and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Gongju and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gongju, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $424 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Gongju and Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $636 per month in Gongju and $790 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Gongju or Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,522 in Gongju and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes Gongju about 10% cheaper.
How far does $2,000 go in Gongju compared to Medellin?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,522 in Gongju and $1,692 in Medellin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Gongju or Medellin?
Families tend to lean toward Gongju – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Gongju vs other spots: cost of living compared

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