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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $709 per month in Guiyang vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,116 per month in Guiyang vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Guiyang vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Guiyang is about 31% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Guiyang and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Guiyang 47% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ¥18.41

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-55.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.69 ¥147

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-33.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 ¥32.05

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-35.42%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ¥20.04

$1.72 COP 5,599

72.67%

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

$0.47 ¥3.15

$1.05 COP 3,420

-55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.77 COP 2,515

-62.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.87

$1.69 COP 5,487

-48.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.93

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-35.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥12.07

$1.05 COP 3,423

70.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ¥10.51

$1.30 COP 4,236

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.51

$1.40 COP 4,544

-31.43%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.87

$2.16 COP 7,046

-25.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 ¥86.5

$4.39 COP 14.3K

191.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ¥20.93

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-47.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.34 ¥69.9

$8.64 COP 28.1K

19.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ¥12.50

$2.28 COP 7,425

-18.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.18

$1.11 COP 3,603

9.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.49

$1.53 COP 4,982

1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.76

$1.35 COP 4,410

-14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.77

$1.13 COP 3,674

-37.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.50

$1.13 COP 3,692

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.03

$0.85 COP 2,753

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.48

$0.91 COP 2,975

-43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ¥21.49

$2.34 COP 7,629

35.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 ¥70.2

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-16.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.34

$1.20 COP 3,909

-34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.67

$2.49 COP 8,104

-36.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.84 COP 2,727

-65.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.69 ¥113

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-58.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ¥9.55

$1.42 COP 4,623

-0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.20

$1.92 COP 6,235

-82.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.72 ¥45.43

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-12.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.96

$0.99 COP 3,223

19.19%

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

$19.2K ¥130.0K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

6.67%

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

$17.2K ¥116.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-35.35%

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

$45.45 ¥307

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-43.76%

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

$9.95 ¥67.2

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.95 ¥80.8

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-50.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.47 ¥287

$25.08 COP 81.6K

69.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 ¥93.8

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-27.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 ¥39.57

$3.98 COP 13.0K

47.24%

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

$330 ¥2,232

$305 COP 993.4K

8.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ¥115.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

182.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.21 ¥292

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-25.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.21 ¥204

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-6.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 ¥480

$101 COP 327.9K

-29.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 ¥485

$108 COP 350.8K

-33.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 ¥1,872

$477 COP 1.6M

-41.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ¥1,314

$376 COP 1.2M

-48.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 ¥3,990

$845 COP 2.7M

-30.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ¥2,474

$730 COP 2.4M

-49.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,025 ¥20.4K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-5.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 ¥13.8K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

49.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

13.43

-71.03%

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

Last update for Guiyang: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Guiyang versus $477 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Guiyang vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $709 in Guiyang, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 45% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,063 per month in Guiyang and $1,546 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 $330 per month in Guiyang and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guiyang, where all-in costs run around $709, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $709 in Guiyang to $1,031 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.