Cost of Living Comparison Between Jiangmen and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jiangmen and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $518 in Jiangmen versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,000 in Jiangmen versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,482 in Jiangmen versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Jiangmen costs roughly 70% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jiangmen is 62% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.36 ¥22.55

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-58.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.85 ¥200

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-38.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 ¥33.88

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-48.31%

Cappuccino

$2.17 ¥14.55

$2.91 COP 9,149

-25.43%

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

$0.43 ¥2.85

$1.94 COP 6,110

-77.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.10

$1.52 COP 4,783

-79.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 ¥6.19

$3.09 COP 9,721

-70.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ¥9.82

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-74.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥10.54

$1.36 COP 4,287

15.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.32

$2.39 COP 7,505

-29.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.16

$1.70 COP 5,346

-37.06%

Eggs

$1.74 ¥11.70

$2.87 COP 9,021

-39.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.28 ¥149

$9.94 COP 31.2K

124.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.70

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-79.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ¥91.0

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-7.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.16

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-48.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.08

$1.57 COP 4,940

-42.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.90

$2.13 COP 6,682

-44.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.49

$2.21 COP 6,959

-35.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.58

$2.05 COP 6,435

-66.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.32

$1.50 COP 4,728

-37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 ¥2.10

$1.19 COP 3,740

-73.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.60

$1.16 COP 3,640

-53.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ¥19.51

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-25.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 ¥84.8

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-12.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$1.58 COP 4,978

-55.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.11

$2.83 COP 8,889

-36.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ¥3.16

$1.17 COP 3,672

-59.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ¥9.41

$1.28 COP 4,038

9.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.52

$2.09 COP 6,576

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 ¥49.51

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-14.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.39

$1.30 COP 4,080

-3.85%

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

$19.6K ¥131.8K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-28.98%

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

$16.5K ¥110.5K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-53.61%

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

$49.97 ¥335

$176 COP 553.4K

-71.62%

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

$8.39 ¥56.3

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-37.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.25 ¥82.2

$29.89 COP 94.0K

-59.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.91 ¥201

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-33.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.56 ¥30.58

$17.06 COP 53.6K

-73.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 ¥41.83

$6.20 COP 19.5K

0.48%

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

$242 ¥1,624

$793 COP 2.5M

-69.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,536 ¥50.6K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-16.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.45 ¥198

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-65.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-31.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 ¥458

$136 COP 428.4K

-49.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.97 ¥295

$103 COP 324.1K

-57.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 ¥3,002

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-77.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ¥1,765

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-77.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,007 ¥40.3K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

46.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,247 ¥8,366

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-26.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 ¥3,893

$665 COP 2.1M

-12.78%

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 Jiangmen: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 15% 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: $30.00 in Jiangmen vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $303 per month, with Jiangmen 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

Jiangmen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jiangmen and Medellin differ by about 231% in total monthly costs ($518 vs $1,716 including rent). Jiangmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $242 in Jiangmen versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jiangmen – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $518 in Jiangmen versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jiangmen but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Jiangmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Jiangmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 231% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.