😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,246 in Jeonju versus $1,017 in Medellin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,912 in Jeonju versus $1,602 in Medellin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,578 in Jeonju versus $2,188 in Medellin.
😐Living in Jeonju is roughly 23% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Jeonju7% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jeonju
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.65₩10.2K
$5.95COP 21.2K
11.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.74₩42.4K
$33.33COP 118.9K
-16.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.99₩7,622
$7.23COP 25.8K
-30.98%
Cappuccino
$3.78₩5,771
$1.63COP 5,811
131.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11₩1,700
$1.09COP 3,904
1.83%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65₩990
$0.73COP 2,604
-10.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.93₩2,944
$1.74COP 6,197
10.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95₩4,509
$3.23COP 11.5K
-8.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jeonju
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.03₩3,094
$1.05COP 3,742
93.33%
White Bread(500g)
$2.16₩3,301
$1.29COP 4,614
67.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.02₩4,617
$1.32COP 4,718
128.79%
Eggs
$2.85₩4,358
$2.27COP 8,101
25.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.51₩16.1K
$4.35COP 15.5K
141.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.18₩12.5K
$5.88COP 21.0K
39.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$27.82₩42.5K
$8.61COP 30.7K
223.11%
Apples(1kg)
$8.40₩12.8K
$2.25COP 8,015
273.33%
Banana(1kg)
$3.21₩4,896
$1.07COP 3,814
200.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$7.28₩11.1K
$1.52COP 5,438
378.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.31₩8,115
$1.42COP 5,073
273.94%
Potato(1kg)
$5.24₩7,996
$1.17COP 4,173
347.86%
Onion(1kg)
$3.02₩4,617
$1.17COP 4,166
158.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.12₩3,237
$0.89COP 3,163
138.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20₩1,826
$0.90COP 3,215
33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.24₩4,951
$2.25COP 8,008
44.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.51₩25.2K
$11.04COP 39.4K
49.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67₩2,550
$1.14COP 4,063
46.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43₩5,239
$2.38COP 8,483
44.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Jeonju
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.12₩1,708
$0.84COP 2,979
33.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.95COP 149.6K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.55₩5,420
$1.41COP 5,019
151.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.79₩1,208
$1.90COP 6,779
-58.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.24₩24.8K
$7.75COP 27.6K
109.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.17₩1,786
$1.01COP 3,586
15.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K₩42.1M
$17.6KCOP 62.7M
56.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K₩38.1M
$26.5KCOP 94.5M
-5.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeonju
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$187₩285.5K
$83.7COP 298.4K
123.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.82₩76.1K
$9.45COP 33.7K
427.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.14₩33.8K
$24.11COP 86.0K
-8.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jeonju
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.28₩73.7K
$25.31COP 90.3K
90.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.14COP 68.3K
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.95₩13.7K
$4.10COP 14.6K
118.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jeonju
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$490₩749.1K
$312COP 1.1M
57.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.1K₩21.6M
$5,993COP 21.4M
135.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jeonju
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.98₩44.3K
$58.0COP 207.0K
-50.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.99₩71.8K
$32.56COP 116.1K
44.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$67.4₩102.9K
$99.6COP 355.3K
-32.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116₩177.9K
$109COP 387.1K
7.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jeonju
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$281₩429.0K
$482COP 1.7M
-41.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$219₩333.8K
$379COP 1.4M
-42.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$572₩873.8K
$837COP 3.0M
-31.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$455₩694.5K
$723COP 2.6M
-37.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,840COP 10.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,223COP 4.4M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jeonju
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,995₩3.0M
$541COP 1.9M
268.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.22
13.43
-68.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Jeonju: June 9, 2026
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Jeonju and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Jeonju pays 269% 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: $28.00 in Jeonju vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $431 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.
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
Jeonju vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Jeonju?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Jeonju or Medellin?
Jeonju pays 269% more on average, 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 Jeonju and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $281 in Jeonju versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $490 in Jeonju versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Jeonju or Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $28.00 in Jeonju. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Jeonju or Medellin?
At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,246 in Jeonju, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Jeonju. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Jeonju or Medellin more family-friendly?
For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jeonju, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Jeonju or Medellin?
Safety-wise, Jeonju 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Jeonju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.