Cost of Living Comparison Between Jilin and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jilin and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $721 per month in Jilin vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Jilin vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,545 per month in Jilin vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Jilin is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jilin and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Jilin 46% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 ¥18.32

$5.93 COP 18.9K

-54.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.21 ¥143

$33.12 COP 105.7K

-35.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ¥31.65

$7.12 COP 22.7K

-34.13%

Cappuccino

$3.23 ¥21.81

$1.71 COP 5,444

88.89%

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

$0.43 ¥2.92

$1.05 COP 3,348

-59.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ¥1.35

$0.72 COP 2,306

-72.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$1.72 COP 5,488

-34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.35

$3.17 COP 10.1K

-33.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ¥11.48

$1.06 COP 3,400

60.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥10.81

$1.31 COP 4,182

22.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.50

$1.33 COP 4,246

-27.82%

Eggs

$1.58 ¥10.66

$2.28 COP 7,281

-30.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 ¥88.3

$4.42 COP 14.1K

195.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 ¥21.80

$5.92 COP 18.9K

-45.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.15 ¥68.6

$8.64 COP 27.6K

17.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.07

$2.34 COP 7,486

-23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 ¥8.07

$1.10 COP 3,518

8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ¥9.27

$1.47 COP 4,687

-6.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.58

$1.38 COP 4,405

-18.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.51

$1.17 COP 3,745

-42.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$1.17 COP 3,735

-20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.04

$0.90 COP 2,883

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.84 COP 2,687

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ¥21.65

$2.33 COP 7,431

37.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.09 ¥81.6

$11.92 COP 38.0K

1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥5.05

$1.15 COP 3,665

-34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ¥10.77

$2.42 COP 7,730

-34.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.84 COP 2,681

-65.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.82 ¥114

$40.83 COP 130.3K

-58.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$1.41 COP 4,506

-32.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.19

$1.91 COP 6,112

-83.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 ¥44.73

$7.83 COP 25.0K

-15.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$0.94 COP 3,013

20.21%

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

$19.0K ¥128.6K

$17.8K COP 56.9M

6.88%

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

$16.9K ¥113.8K

$27.1K COP 86.5M

-37.78%

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

$46.11 ¥311

$83.3 COP 265.8K

-44.62%

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

$10.00 ¥67.5

$9.66 COP 30.8K

3.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.34 ¥76.6

$24.22 COP 77.3K

-53.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.29 ¥286

$25.22 COP 80.5K

67.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.18 ¥95.8

$19.33 COP 61.7K

-26.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 ¥42.51

$4.07 COP 13.0K

54.55%

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

$333 ¥2,246

$307 COP 978.8K

8.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ¥114.2K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

182.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.75 ¥289

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-28.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.36 ¥205

$32.65 COP 104.2K

-7.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ¥481

$101 COP 322.7K

-29.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 ¥506

$108 COP 344.9K

-30.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 ¥1,879

$476 COP 1.5M

-41.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 ¥1,259

$379 COP 1.2M

-50.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ¥3,976

$816 COP 2.6M

-27.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 ¥2,460

$707 COP 2.3M

-48.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,714 ¥18.3K

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-14.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,821 ¥12.3K

$1,446 COP 4.6M

25.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$438 ¥2,956

$622 COP 2.0M

-29.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

13.43

-71.18%

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

Last update for Jilin: July 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 in Jilin versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Jilin versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Jilin vs $192 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Jilin vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 41% more than Jilin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,082 per month in Jilin and $1,527 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jilin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $333 per month in Jilin and $307 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jilin, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Jilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jilin costs $721 versus $1,018 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Jilin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.