Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jinan and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Jinan: $641 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Jinan
Learn more

Jinan Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index

Jump to prices

Jinan

🇨🇳 China

$641

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jinan and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jinan and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $641 per month in Jinan vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

Jinan $641
Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $1,061 per month in Jinan vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

Jinan $1,061
Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,481 per month in Jinan vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

Jinan $1,481
Medellin $3,186

Jinan is about 61% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jinan sits 53% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.58 ¥17.17

$8.09 COP 25.4K

-68.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.83 ¥165

$47.05 COP 148.0K

-47.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ¥32.18

$9.50 COP 29.9K

-49.05%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ¥17.66

$3.01 COP 9,485

-11.96%

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

$0.44 ¥2.93

$1.80 COP 5,660

-75.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ¥1.53

$1.41 COP 4,443

-83.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.78

$3.18 COP 9,990

-72.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥12.99

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-66.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ¥9.65

$1.51 COP 4,751

-3.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ¥9.85

$2.38 COP 7,480

-37.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.18

$1.77 COP 5,573

-30.51%

Eggs

$1.11 ¥7.41

$2.89 COP 9,093

-61.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.84 ¥78.8

$10.19 COP 32.1K

16.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.44

$9.87 COP 31.1K

-67.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ¥74.1

$13.99 COP 44.0K

-20.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.65

$3.97 COP 12.5K

-63.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.72

$1.55 COP 4,883

-34.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ¥9.11

$2.18 COP 6,867

-37.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.68

$2.18 COP 6,870

-47.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$1.96 COP 6,174

-70.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.85

$1.59 COP 5,000

-54.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.75

$1.15 COP 3,604

-51.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.07

$1.24 COP 3,911

-50.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥25.53

$3.96 COP 12.5K

-3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.91 ¥66.0

$13.68 COP 43.0K

-27.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ¥4.44

$1.66 COP 5,221

-59.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ¥8.67

$2.26 COP 7,103

-42.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$1.17 COP 3,674

-73.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.77 ¥58.4

$77.4 COP 243.4K

-88.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ¥10.69

$1.27 COP 3,989

26.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ¥1.66

$2.05 COP 6,442

-87.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ¥29.17

$8.55 COP 26.9K

-48.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ¥8.68

$1.35 COP 4,237

-3.70%

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

$19.5K ¥129.5K

$34.1K COP 107.2M

-42.88%

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

$15.1K ¥100.4K

$34.7K COP 109.1M

-56.47%

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

$73.7 ¥490

$170 COP 533.7K

-56.56%

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

$6.89 ¥45.86

$13.55 COP 42.6K

-49.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.26 ¥35.03

$28.07 COP 88.3K

-81.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.88 ¥159

$43.70 COP 137.5K

-45.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.01 ¥60.0

$17.19 COP 54.1K

-47.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 ¥34.10

$6.91 COP 21.7K

-25.90%

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

$214 ¥1,422

$797 COP 2.5M

-73.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K ¥135.0K

$9,112 COP 28.7M

122.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.25 ¥221

$84.7 COP 266.5K

-60.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.51 ¥283

$58.0 COP 182.3K

-26.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 ¥476

$135 COP 424.6K

-46.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 ¥466

$97.9 COP 307.9K

-28.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 ¥1,679

$1,208 COP 3.8M

-79.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 ¥971

$642 COP 2.0M

-77.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 ¥4,073

$2,028 COP 6.4M

-69.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ¥2,401

$1,012 COP 3.2M

-64.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,470 ¥16.4K

$4,170 COP 13.1M

-40.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,307 ¥8,699

$1,910 COP 6.0M

-31.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$962 ¥6,400

$657 COP 2.1M

46.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

10.94

-71.39%

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

Last update for Jinan: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Jinan

$187 29.1%

Medellin

$297 18.1% 58.9% $110

Accommodation & Living

Jinan

$146 22.8%

Medellin

$642 39.1% 340% $496

Clothing & Footwear

Jinan

$98 15.3%

Medellin

$169 10.3% 72.8% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jinan

$86 13.4%

Medellin

$211 12.9% 146% $125

Eating Out

Jinan

$78 12.2%

Medellin

$170 10.4% 118% $92

Sport & Entertainment

Jinan

$34 5.3%

Medellin

$58 3.5% 68.6% $23

Getting Around

Jinan

$13 2%

Medellin

$94 5.7% 627% $81

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $252 in Jinan versus $1,208 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 46% higher in Jinan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Jinan versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $297 – making Jinan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Jinan

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

06:12 6:12 AM

17:12 5:12 PM

13 h behind Jinan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,202,432

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.135 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.18 USD

10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.41 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jinan Medellin 15,060 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Jinan
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Jinan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 156% more than Jinan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $962 per month in Jinan and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jinan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $252 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Jinan and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $641 in Jinan and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Jinan about 61% cheaper.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Jinan, where all-in costs run around $641, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Jinan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jinan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Jinan is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 61% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.