Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guizhou and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Guizhou: $603 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Guizhou, China
Medellin, Colombia
Guizhou
🇨🇳 China
$603
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guizhou 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 Guizhou and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $603 in Guizhou versus $1,639 in Medellin.

  • Guizhou $603
  • Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $972 in Guizhou versus $2,413 in Medellin.

  • Guizhou $972
  • Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,340 in Guizhou versus $3,186 in Medellin.

  • Guizhou $1,340
  • Medellin $3,186

Living in Guizhou costs roughly 63% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Guizhou is 56% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guizhou
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.68 ¥17.80
$8.09 COP 26.1K
-66.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.33 ¥142
$47.05 COP 151.9K
-54.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.59 ¥37.15
$9.50 COP 30.7K
-41.16%
Cappuccino
$2.80 ¥18.61
$3.01 COP 9,735
-6.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ¥3.09
$1.80 COP 5,809
-73.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 ¥1.65
$1.41 COP 4,561
-82.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.77 ¥5.10
$3.18 COP 10.3K
-75.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 ¥12.17
$5.75 COP 18.6K
-68.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guizhou
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.84 ¥12.24
$1.51 COP 4,876
21.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 ¥11.90
$2.38 COP 7,678
-24.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.80 ¥5.34
$1.77 COP 5,720
-54.80%
Eggs
$1.91 ¥12.69
$2.89 COP 9,333
-33.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.69 ¥51.1
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-24.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.77 ¥31.73
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-51.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.93 ¥72.7
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-21.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.09 ¥13.91
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-47.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ¥10.70
$1.55 COP 5,012
3.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 ¥10.13
$2.18 COP 7,048
-30.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.43 ¥9.49
$2.18 COP 7,051
-34.40%
Potato (1kg)
$0.68 ¥4.53
$1.96 COP 6,337
-65.31%
Onion (1kg)
$0.78 ¥5.18
$1.59 COP 5,132
-50.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.36 ¥2.37
$1.15 COP 3,699
-68.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 ¥3.58
$1.24 COP 4,014
-56.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.95 ¥19.57
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-25.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.58 ¥50.4
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-44.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ¥5.29
$1.66 COP 5,359
-51.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 ¥7.85
$2.26 COP 7,291
-47.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Guizhou
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 ¥2.53
$1.17 COP 3,771
-67.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.31 ¥181
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-64.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.48 ¥9.86
$1.27 COP 4,094
16.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 ¥1.91
$2.05 COP 6,612
-85.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.13 ¥34.08
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-40.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 ¥8.37
$1.35 COP 4,349
-6.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.4K ¥122.6K
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-45.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.3K ¥108.1K
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-53.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guizhou
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$29.56 ¥196
$170 COP 547.8K
-82.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.40 ¥42.55
$13.55 COP 43.8K
-52.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.06 ¥40.29
$28.07 COP 90.6K
-78.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guizhou
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.89 ¥152
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-47.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.89 ¥79.0
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-30.83%
Cinema Ticket
$7.65 ¥50.8
$6.91 COP 22.3K
10.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guizhou
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$251 ¥1,668
$797 COP 2.6M
-68.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K ¥75.5K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
24.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guizhou
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.71 ¥224
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-60.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.38 ¥149
$58.0 COP 187.2K
-61.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.7 ¥490
$135 COP 435.8K
-45.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.86 ¥285
$97.9 COP 316.0K
-56.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guizhou
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$266 ¥1,766
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-78.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$138 ¥916
$642 COP 2.1M
-78.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$387 ¥2,571
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-80.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$244 ¥1,622
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-75.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,815 ¥12.1K
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-56.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,090 ¥7,243
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-42.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guizhou
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$698 ¥4,636
$657 COP 2.1M
6.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.4
10.94
-68.92%

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

Last update for Guizhou: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Guizhou
$193
Medellin
$297 53.6% $104
Accommodation & Living
Guizhou
$138
Medellin
$642 366% $504
Eating Out
Guizhou
$82
Medellin
$170 107% $87
Clothing & Footwear
Guizhou
$78
Medellin
$169 118% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guizhou
$42
Medellin
$211 403% $169
Sport & Entertainment
Guizhou
$38
Medellin
$58 50.7% $19
Getting Around
Guizhou
$32
Medellin
$94 195% $62

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Guizhou and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guizhou pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21 in Guizhou vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $297 per month, with Guizhou cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Guizhou
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
12:12 12:12 PM
23:12 11:12 PM
13 h behind Guizhou
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 6.64 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.42 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Guizhou Medellin 15,820 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Guizhou
  • 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
Guizhou vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guizhou cheaper than Medellin?
Guizhou is about 63% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Guizhou or Medellin?
Average pay runs 6% higher in Guizhou, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Guizhou and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $266 in Guizhou versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Guizhou runs roughly 65% less than in Medellin. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $251 in Guizhou versus $797 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Guizhou or in Medellin?
At $603 in Guizhou versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Guizhou but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Guizhou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Guizhou or in Medellin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Guizhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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