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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $699 per month in Jilin vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,119 per month in Jilin vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,539 per month in Jilin vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Jilin is about 31% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jilin and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Jilin 48% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥19.45

$6.14 COP 22.1K

-53.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.10 ¥144

$33.05 COP 119.0K

-36.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 ¥32.34

$7.32 COP 26.4K

-35.25%

Cappuccino

$3.27 ¥22.32

$1.66 COP 5,973

96.99%

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

$0.44 ¥2.99

$1.10 COP 3,978

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ¥1.50

$0.78 COP 2,816

-71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.80

$1.71 COP 6,174

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥14.36

$3.17 COP 11.4K

-33.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ¥11.59

$1.11 COP 4,003

53.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ¥10.58

$1.31 COP 4,709

18.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.18

$1.38 COP 4,969

-34.06%

Eggs

$1.64 ¥11.18

$2.22 COP 7,992

-26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 ¥86.1

$4.34 COP 15.6K

190.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ¥20.92

$5.80 COP 20.9K

-47.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 ¥70.8

$8.98 COP 32.3K

15.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.94

$2.26 COP 8,146

-22.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.16

$1.11 COP 4,014

8.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ¥9.33

$1.46 COP 5,273

-6.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.67

$1.37 COP 4,918

-18.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.70

$1.11 COP 4,000

-37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.59

$1.16 COP 4,190

-17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.07

$0.89 COP 3,204

-32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.70

$0.87 COP 3,117

-37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ¥21.07

$2.35 COP 8,476

31.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 ¥70.1

$10.86 COP 39.1K

-5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥5.52

$1.20 COP 4,321

-32.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.20

$2.48 COP 8,927

-33.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.79 COP 2,836

-65.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.88 ¥115

$40.77 COP 146.8K

-58.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 ¥6.90

$1.42 COP 5,125

-28.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.21

$1.91 COP 6,885

-83.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 ¥45.09

$7.65 COP 27.6K

-13.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.94

$0.97 COP 3,482

19.59%

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

$19.6K ¥133.9K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

8.36%

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

$16.4K ¥111.9K

$26.3K COP 94.8M

-37.75%

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

$46.28 ¥316

$81.3 COP 292.9K

-43.08%

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

$9.97 ¥68.1

$9.63 COP 34.7K

3.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.35 ¥77.5

$24.36 COP 87.8K

-53.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.92 ¥286

$26.02 COP 93.7K

61.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥95.9

$18.92 COP 68.1K

-25.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 ¥43.99

$3.89 COP 14.0K

65.55%

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

$339 ¥2,318

$304 COP 1.1M

11.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥115.9K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

187.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.08 ¥294

$58.7 COP 211.4K

-26.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.15 ¥206

$32.48 COP 117.0K

-7.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 ¥497

$102 COP 366.5K

-28.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ¥508

$108 COP 389.6K

-31.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥1,929

$474 COP 1.7M

-40.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ¥1,280

$371 COP 1.3M

-49.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ¥3,970

$848 COP 3.1M

-31.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 ¥2,450

$716 COP 2.6M

-49.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,250 ¥22.2K

$2,871 COP 10.3M

13.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,129 ¥14.5K

$1,375 COP 5.0M

54.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$447 ¥3,056

$542 COP 2.0M

-17.37%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Jilin versus $474 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 21% 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 in Jilin versus $33 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Jilin vs $190 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 45% 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 $1,049 per month in Jilin and $1,522 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 $339 per month in Jilin and $304 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $699, than in Medellin at $1,014. 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 $699 versus $1,014 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.