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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $717 per month in Jilin vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,129 per month in Jilin vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,541 per month in Jilin vs $2,188 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 47% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 ¥18.48

$5.95 COP 21.2K

-54.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.14 ¥143

$33.33 COP 118.9K

-36.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ¥33.42

$7.23 COP 25.8K

-31.67%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ¥21.39

$1.63 COP 5,811

93.87%

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

$0.41 ¥2.76

$1.09 COP 3,904

-62.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ¥1.49

$0.73 COP 2,604

-69.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.38

$1.74 COP 6,197

-37.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.39

$3.23 COP 11.5K

-34.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥11.00

$1.05 COP 3,742

54.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.29 COP 4,614

18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.11

$1.32 COP 4,718

-31.82%

Eggs

$1.62 ¥10.96

$2.27 COP 8,101

-28.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 ¥88.4

$4.35 COP 15.5K

200.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ¥21.01

$5.88 COP 21.0K

-47.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 ¥67.8

$8.61 COP 30.7K

16.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.79

$2.25 COP 8,015

-22.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.15

$1.07 COP 3,814

12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.50

$1.52 COP 5,438

-7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.42 COP 5,073

-19.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$1.17 COP 4,173

-42.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.59

$1.17 COP 4,166

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ¥4.02

$0.89 COP 3,163

-33.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.90 COP 3,215

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ¥20.93

$2.25 COP 8,008

37.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.98 ¥74.4

$11.04 COP 39.4K

-0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$1.14 COP 4,063

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.13

$2.38 COP 8,483

-31.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.84 COP 2,979

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.47 ¥112

$41.95 COP 149.6K

-60.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 ¥6.73

$1.41 COP 5,019

-29.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

$1.90 COP 6,779

-81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 ¥44.31

$7.75 COP 27.6K

-15.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.66

$1.01 COP 3,586

11.88%

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

$19.3K ¥131.0K

$17.6K COP 62.7M

10.02%

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

$16.7K ¥113.1K

$26.5K COP 94.5M

-36.98%

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

$45.73 ¥310

$83.7 COP 298.4K

-45.35%

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

$9.81 ¥66.4

$9.45 COP 33.7K

3.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.74 ¥79.5

$24.11 COP 86.0K

-51.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.08 ¥278

$25.31 COP 90.3K

62.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.97 ¥94.6

$19.14 COP 68.3K

-27.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 ¥42.10

$4.10 COP 14.6K

51.71%

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

$340 ¥2,304

$312 COP 1.1M

9.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥115.2K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

183.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.66 ¥289

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-26.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.97 ¥210

$32.56 COP 116.1K

-4.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 ¥478

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-29.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ¥501

$109 COP 387.1K

-31.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 ¥1,896

$482 COP 1.7M

-41.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 ¥1,291

$379 COP 1.4M

-49.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 ¥4,073

$837 COP 3.0M

-28.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ¥2,421

$723 COP 2.6M

-50.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,235 ¥21.9K

$2,840 COP 10.1M

13.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,531 ¥10.4K

$1,223 COP 4.4M

25.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$451 ¥3,052

$541 COP 1.9M

-16.66%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Jilin versus $482 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 20% 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 – $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 42% 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 $1,076 per month in Jilin and $1,525 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 $340 per month in Jilin and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $717, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $717 versus $1,017 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.