🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $616 in Luoyang versus $1,013 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,003 in Luoyang versus $1,602 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,390 in Luoyang versus $2,192 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Luoyang costs roughly 39% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Luoyang54% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.47¥23.50
$5.99COP 21.3K
-42.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.21¥191
$32.86COP 116.9K
-14.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.31¥35.94
$7.09COP 25.2K
-25.11%
Cappuccino
$3.47¥23.51
$1.71COP 6,093
102.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44¥2.96
$1.10COP 3,910
-60.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23¥1.56
$0.78COP 2,771
-70.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.16¥7.88
$1.68COP 5,976
-30.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83¥19.14
$3.07COP 10.9K
-7.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.79¥12.12
$1.09COP 3,892
64.22%
White Bread(500g)
$2.13¥14.46
$1.26COP 4,492
69.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.01¥6.85
$1.38COP 4,905
-26.81%
Eggs
$1.39¥9.40
$2.19COP 7,799
-36.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.75¥86.4
$4.40COP 15.7K
189.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.23¥21.86
$5.63COP 20.0K
-42.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.51¥57.6
$8.89COP 31.6K
-4.27%
Apples(1kg)
$0.95¥6.45
$2.34COP 8,319
-59.40%
Banana(1kg)
$1.25¥8.44
$1.06COP 3,764
17.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.36¥9.24
$1.50COP 5,355
-9.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.13¥7.67
$1.38COP 4,906
-18.12%
Potato(1kg)
$0.71¥4.81
$1.15COP 4,097
-38.26%
Onion(1kg)
$0.90¥6.12
$1.16COP 4,141
-22.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.40¥2.73
$0.89COP 3,170
-55.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74¥5.03
$0.84COP 2,986
-11.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.57¥10.62
$2.28COP 8,116
-31.14%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.26¥89.8
$10.64COP 37.9K
24.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.41¥2.76
$1.20COP 4,268
-65.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09¥14.15
$2.47COP 8,793
-15.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27¥1.83
$0.86COP 3,045
-68.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$16.54¥112
$41.40COP 147.3K
-60.05%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.08¥7.34
$1.47COP 5,245
-26.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35¥2.40
$1.96COP 6,984
-82.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.53¥44.23
$7.74COP 27.5K
-15.63%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.19¥8.06
$0.95COP 3,397
25.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.6K¥132.8K
$18.1KCOP 64.5M
8.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.6K¥112.3K
$26.5KCOP 94.2M
-37.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$39.94¥271
$82.3COP 292.7K
-51.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.65¥38.24
$9.50COP 33.8K
-40.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.65¥65.3
$24.23COP 86.2K
-60.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$21.28¥144
$25.89COP 92.1K
-17.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.26¥76.3
$19.00COP 67.6K
-40.74%
Cinema Ticket
$5.27¥35.69
$3.93COP 14.0K
34.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$184¥1,250
$309COP 1.1M
-40.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.1K¥115.7K
$5,965COP 21.2M
186.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.56¥315
$58.7COP 208.7K
-20.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.86¥189
$32.35COP 115.1K
-13.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$60.4¥409
$103COP 365.1K
-41.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.5¥505
$108COP 385.8K
-31.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$176¥1,191
$476COP 1.7M
-63.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$118¥802
$379COP 1.3M
-68.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$410¥2,779
$838COP 3.0M
-51.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$212¥1,437
$724COP 2.6M
-70.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,081¥14.1K
$2,791COP 9.9M
-25.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,414¥9,575
$1,211COP 4.3M
16.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$619¥4,194
$512COP 1.8M
20.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.45
13.43
-66.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Luoyang: May 31, 2026
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $176 in Luoyang and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Luoyang pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $28.00 in Luoyang vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $188, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.
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
Luoyang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Luoyang or Medellin?
Luoyang wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Luoyang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Luoyang or Medellin?
Luoyang pays 21% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Luoyang vs Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $176 in Luoyang versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Luoyang and Medellin?
Childcare runs $184 in Luoyang versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Luoyang or Medellin?
Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Luoyang or Medellin?
At $616 in Luoyang versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Luoyang but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Luoyang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Luoyang or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Luoyang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $616 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Luoyang hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Luoyang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.