Cost of Living Comparison Between Jiaozuo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jiaozuo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $681 in Jiaozuo versus $1,014 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,083 in Jiaozuo versus $1,596 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,485 in Jiaozuo versus $2,178 in Medellin.

Living in Jiaozuo costs roughly 33% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jiaozuo 49% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.77 ¥12.12

$6.14 COP 22.1K

-71.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.72 ¥141

$33.05 COP 119.0K

-37.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 ¥37.61

$7.32 COP 26.4K

-24.73%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ¥17.93

$1.66 COP 5,973

58.43%

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

$0.41 ¥2.82

$1.10 COP 3,978

-62.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.78 COP 2,816

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 ¥5.43

$1.71 COP 6,174

-53.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥14.62

$3.17 COP 11.4K

-32.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥10.73

$1.11 COP 4,003

41.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥9.76

$1.31 COP 4,709

9.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 ¥4.20

$1.38 COP 4,969

-55.80%

Eggs

$0.97 ¥6.66

$2.22 COP 7,992

-56.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 ¥87.6

$4.34 COP 15.6K

195.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.24 ¥15.30

$5.80 COP 20.9K

-61.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 ¥51.8

$8.98 COP 32.3K

-15.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ¥12.10

$2.26 COP 8,146

-21.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.32

$1.11 COP 4,014

9.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.53 ¥3.64

$1.46 COP 5,273

-63.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 ¥3.66

$1.37 COP 4,918

-60.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.92

$1.11 COP 4,000

-35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 ¥2.78

$1.16 COP 4,190

-64.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 ¥2.55

$0.89 COP 3,204

-58.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ¥6.73

$0.87 COP 3,117

13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ¥16.20

$2.35 COP 8,476

0.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 ¥64.7

$10.86 COP 39.1K

-12.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.49

$1.20 COP 4,321

-45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ¥20.04

$2.48 COP 8,927

18.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.83

$0.79 COP 2,836

-65.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.57 ¥113

$40.77 COP 146.8K

-59.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 ¥11.64

$1.42 COP 5,125

19.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.24

$1.91 COP 6,885

-82.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 ¥46.96

$7.65 COP 27.6K

-10.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ¥5.71

$0.97 COP 3,482

-13.40%

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

$19.3K ¥131.9K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

6.73%

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

$16.5K ¥112.5K

$26.3K COP 94.8M

-37.40%

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

$45.09 ¥308

$81.3 COP 292.9K

-44.55%

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

$11.56 ¥79.0

$9.63 COP 34.7K

20.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.59 ¥79.2

$24.36 COP 87.8K

-52.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ¥357

$26.02 COP 93.7K

100.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.85 ¥94.6

$18.92 COP 68.1K

-26.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 ¥25.71

$3.89 COP 14.0K

-3.34%

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

$168 ¥1,145

$304 COP 1.1M

-44.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ¥115.7K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

187.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.43 ¥297

$58.7 COP 211.4K

-25.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥207

$32.48 COP 117.0K

-6.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 ¥497

$102 COP 366.5K

-28.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ¥505

$108 COP 389.6K

-31.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ¥1,922

$474 COP 1.7M

-40.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ¥1,280

$371 COP 1.3M

-49.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ¥3,990

$848 COP 3.1M

-31.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 ¥2,503

$716 COP 2.6M

-48.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,489 ¥17.0K

$2,871 COP 10.3M

-13.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,010 ¥13.7K

$1,375 COP 5.0M

46.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 ¥3,729

$542 COP 2.0M

0.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

13.43

-62.70%

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

Last update for Jiaozuo: April 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Jiaozuo and $474 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jiaozuo pays 1% 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 Jiaozuo vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $190 per month, with Jiaozuo 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

Jiaozuo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jiaozuo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Jiaozuo pays 1% 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: $281 in Jiaozuo versus $474 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $168 in Jiaozuo versus $304 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $681 in Jiaozuo versus $1,014 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jiaozuo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Jiaozuo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Jiaozuo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.