Cost of Living Comparison Between Kunshan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kunshan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $705 per month in Kunshan vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,123 per month in Kunshan vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,542 per month in Kunshan vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 ¥18.73

$6.14 COP 22.2K

-55.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.68 ¥148

$33.05 COP 119.3K

-34.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥34.01

$7.32 COP 26.4K

-31.97%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥20.94

$1.66 COP 5,987

84.94%

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

$0.43 ¥2.96

$1.10 COP 3,987

-60.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.78 COP 2,822

-62.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ¥6.37

$1.71 COP 6,188

-45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥14.61

$3.17 COP 11.5K

-32.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ¥12.66

$1.11 COP 4,012

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ¥10.67

$1.31 COP 4,719

19.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.21

$1.38 COP 4,980

-34.06%

Eggs

$1.59 ¥10.85

$2.22 COP 8,009

-28.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 ¥86.0

$4.34 COP 15.7K

189.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ¥21.19

$5.80 COP 20.9K

-46.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 ¥68.9

$8.98 COP 32.4K

12.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.41

$2.26 COP 8,164

-19.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.32

$1.11 COP 4,023

9.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.61

$1.46 COP 5,284

6.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.82

$1.37 COP 4,929

-16.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥5.01

$1.11 COP 4,009

-34.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.47

$1.16 COP 4,199

-18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.89

$0.89 COP 3,211

-35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.77

$0.87 COP 3,124

-36.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.21 ¥21.93

$2.35 COP 8,495

36.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 ¥71.8

$10.86 COP 39.2K

-3.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.49

$1.20 COP 4,330

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.78

$2.48 COP 8,946

-36.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.79 COP 2,842

-65.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.76 ¥114

$40.77 COP 147.2K

-58.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.38

$1.42 COP 5,137

-3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.24

$1.91 COP 6,900

-82.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥46.39

$7.65 COP 27.6K

-11.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.93

$0.97 COP 3,490

19.59%

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

$19.7K ¥134.4K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

8.71%

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

$16.9K ¥115.3K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-35.83%

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

$44.83 ¥306

$81.3 COP 293.5K

-44.87%

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

$9.55 ¥65.3

$9.63 COP 34.8K

-0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.88 ¥81.2

$24.36 COP 88.0K

-51.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.14 ¥281

$26.02 COP 93.9K

58.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ¥95.5

$18.92 COP 68.3K

-26.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.00 ¥40.97

$3.89 COP 14.0K

54.24%

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

$332 ¥2,266

$304 COP 1.1M

9.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥116.4K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

188.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.48 ¥304

$58.7 COP 211.8K

-24.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.99 ¥205

$32.48 COP 117.2K

-7.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 ¥483

$102 COP 367.3K

-30.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 ¥484

$108 COP 390.4K

-34.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 ¥1,915

$474 COP 1.7M

-40.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ¥1,331

$371 COP 1.3M

-47.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 ¥4,052

$848 COP 3.1M

-30.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 ¥2,455

$716 COP 2.6M

-49.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,973 ¥20.3K

$2,871 COP 10.4M

3.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,017 ¥13.8K

$1,375 COP 5.0M

46.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

13.43

-71.03%

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

Last update for Kunshan: April 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Kunshan 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Kunshan versus $33 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Kunshan 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

Kunshan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,057 per month in Kunshan 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 Kunshan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Kunshan and $33.00 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 $705 in Kunshan and $1,014 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kunshan, where all-in costs run around $705, than in Medellin at $1,014. In Kunshan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kunshan. 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.