Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwangju and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwangju and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,414 in Gwangju versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Gwangju versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,964 in Gwangju versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Gwangju is roughly 39% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gwangju is 5% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 ₩11.4K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

26.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 ₩77.3K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

52.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 ₩8,773

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-20.06%

Cappuccino

$3.96 ₩6,012

$1.63 COP 5,687

142.94%

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

$1.57 ₩2,380

$1.09 COP 3,821

44.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩1,117

$0.73 COP 2,548

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 ₩4,389

$1.74 COP 6,065

66.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₩5,488

$3.23 COP 11.3K

11.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₩2,834

$1.05 COP 3,662

78.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 ₩3,714

$1.29 COP 4,515

89.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,717

$1.32 COP 4,617

135.61%

Eggs

$2.72 ₩4,131

$2.27 COP 7,927

19.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 ₩11.3K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

71.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 ₩11.4K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

27.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.52 ₩52.4K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

300.93%

Apples (1kg)

$7.63 ₩11.6K

$2.25 COP 7,844

239.11%

Banana (1kg)

$3.62 ₩5,504

$1.07 COP 3,733

238.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 ₩8,509

$1.52 COP 5,322

268.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 ₩8,505

$1.42 COP 4,964

294.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 ₩5,986

$1.17 COP 4,084

236.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₩3,705

$1.17 COP 4,077

108.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 ₩4,016

$0.89 COP 3,096

196.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,775

$0.90 COP 3,146

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₩5,173

$2.25 COP 7,837

51.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 ₩15.1K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-10.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₩2,433

$1.14 COP 3,977

40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₩3,624

$2.38 COP 8,301

0.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₩1,346

$0.84 COP 2,916

5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 ₩98.8K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

55.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 ₩4,483

$1.41 COP 4,912

109.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩803

$1.90 COP 6,634

-72.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.35 ₩12.7K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

7.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,834

$1.01 COP 3,509

19.80%

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

$27.3K ₩41.4M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

55.19%

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

$22.1K ₩33.6M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-16.57%

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

$164 ₩248.3K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

95.39%

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

$34.17 ₩51.9K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

261.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 ₩33.2K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-9.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 ₩71.5K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

86.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.78 ₩22.5K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-22.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.63 ₩13.1K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

110.49%

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

$412 ₩625.4K

$312 COP 1.1M

32.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.0M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

296.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ₩77.2K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-12.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.32 ₩56.7K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

14.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ₩97.0K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-35.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₩153.6K

$109 COP 378.8K

-6.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ₩677.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

-7.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ₩542.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

-5.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 ₩1.3M

$837 COP 2.9M

-0.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ₩900.6K

$723 COP 2.5M

-17.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,852 ₩10.4M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

141.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,649 ₩8.6M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

361.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,527 ₩3.8M

$541 COP 1.9M

367.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

13.43

-70.96%

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

Last update for Gwangju: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Gwangju and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 367% 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: $51.0 in Gwangju vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $190 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

Gwangju vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Gwangju pays 367% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $446 in Gwangju versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $51.0 in Gwangju. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,414 per month in Gwangju versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,414 in Gwangju, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Gwangju. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Gwangju, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Gwangju 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Gwangju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.