Cost of Living Comparison Between Guiyang and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Guiyang and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $729 per month in Guiyang vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,141 per month in Guiyang vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,552 per month in Guiyang vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Guiyang is about 58% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Guiyang sits 47% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 ¥18.79

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-65.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.82 ¥146

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-54.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥33.42

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-49.03%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥20.46

$2.91 COP 9,149

4.81%

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

$0.46 ¥3.10

$1.94 COP 6,110

-76.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$1.52 COP 4,783

-82.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ¥5.92

$3.09 COP 9,721

-71.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.20

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-63.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ¥12.64

$1.36 COP 4,287

38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.86

$2.39 COP 7,505

-32.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.02

$1.70 COP 5,346

-47.06%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.78

$2.87 COP 9,021

-43.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.85 ¥86.2

$9.94 COP 31.2K

29.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ¥21.97

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-69.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 ¥67.6

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-31.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.50

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-54.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.17

$1.57 COP 4,940

-22.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.23

$2.13 COP 6,682

-28.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.35

$2.21 COP 6,959

-50.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.91

$2.05 COP 6,435

-64.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.42

$1.50 COP 4,728

-36.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.74

$1.19 COP 3,740

-52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥3.39

$1.16 COP 3,640

-56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ¥20.71

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-20.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.58 ¥71.0

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-26.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.36

$1.58 COP 4,978

-49.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.74

$2.83 COP 8,889

-43.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$1.17 COP 3,672

-76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.43 ¥110

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-78.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.23

$1.28 COP 4,038

7.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.17

$2.09 COP 6,576

-84.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 ¥43.56

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-24.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.64

$1.30 COP 4,080

-12.31%

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

$19.4K ¥129.9K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-30.00%

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

$17.0K ¥114.1K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-52.10%

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

$44.51 ¥299

$176 COP 553.4K

-74.72%

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

$9.61 ¥64.5

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-28.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.88 ¥79.7

$29.89 COP 94.0K

-60.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.29 ¥284

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-5.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.19 ¥95.2

$17.06 COP 53.6K

-16.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 ¥38.59

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-7.26%

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

$339 ¥2,272

$793 COP 2.5M

-57.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥113.9K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

88.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.29 ¥290

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-49.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.21 ¥203

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-48.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ¥484

$136 COP 428.4K

-47.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ¥477

$103 COP 324.1K

-31.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ¥1,887

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-73.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 ¥1,313

$680 COP 2.1M

-71.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 ¥3,990

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-70.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ¥2,400

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-69.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,015 ¥20.2K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-26.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,046 ¥13.7K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

20.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

10.94

-64.44%

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

Last update for Guiyang: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Guiyang versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Guiyang versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $303 – making Guiyang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Guiyang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $729 in Guiyang, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 135% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,093 per month in Guiyang and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guiyang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $339 per month in Guiyang and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guiyang, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Guiyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $729 in Guiyang to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Guiyang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.