🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $624 in Luoyang versus $1,014 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,010 in Luoyang versus $1,596 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,396 in Luoyang versus $2,178 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, Medellin25% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.42¥23.35
$6.14COP 22.2K
-44.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.24¥193
$33.05COP 119.3K
-14.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.09¥34.77
$7.32COP 26.4K
-30.46%
Cappuccino
$3.38¥23.09
$1.66COP 5,987
103.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43¥2.96
$1.10COP 3,987
-60.91%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23¥1.57
$0.78COP 2,822
-70.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.16¥7.92
$1.71COP 6,188
-32.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78¥18.98
$3.17COP 11.5K
-12.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.73¥11.79
$1.11COP 4,012
55.86%
White Bread(500g)
$2.05¥13.97
$1.31COP 4,719
56.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.93¥6.35
$1.38COP 4,980
-32.61%
Eggs
$1.33¥9.10
$2.22COP 8,009
-40.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.63¥86.2
$4.34COP 15.7K
191.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.24¥22.14
$5.80COP 20.9K
-44.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.35¥57.0
$8.98COP 32.4K
-7.02%
Apples(1kg)
$0.88¥6.01
$2.26COP 8,164
-61.06%
Banana(1kg)
$1.26¥8.63
$1.11COP 4,023
13.51%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.40¥9.56
$1.46COP 5,284
-4.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.08¥7.40
$1.37COP 4,929
-21.17%
Potato(1kg)
$0.67¥4.60
$1.11COP 4,009
-39.64%
Onion(1kg)
$0.97¥6.63
$1.16COP 4,199
-16.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.44¥2.98
$0.89COP 3,211
-50.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74¥5.04
$0.87COP 3,124
-14.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.61¥11.00
$2.35COP 8,495
-31.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.26¥90.6
$10.86COP 39.2K
22.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.40¥2.73
$1.20COP 4,330
-66.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99¥13.58
$2.48COP 8,946
-19.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29¥2.00
$0.79COP 2,842
-63.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$16.82¥115
$40.77COP 147.2K
-58.74%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.13¥7.73
$1.42COP 5,137
-20.42%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35¥2.40
$1.91COP 6,900
-81.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.60¥45.09
$7.65COP 27.6K
-13.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.14¥7.81
$0.97COP 3,490
17.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.0K¥129.8K
$18.1KCOP 65.3M
4.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.7K¥114.3K
$26.3KCOP 95.0M
-36.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$39.53¥270
$81.3COP 293.5K
-51.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.54¥37.83
$9.63COP 34.8K
-42.47%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.83¥67.2
$24.36COP 88.0K
-59.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.85¥142
$26.02COP 93.9K
-19.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.20¥76.5
$18.92COP 68.3K
-40.80%
Cinema Ticket
$5.08¥34.69
$3.89COP 14.0K
30.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$184¥1,258
$304COP 1.1M
-39.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.0K¥116.1K
$5,902COP 21.3M
188.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.28¥316
$58.7COP 211.8K
-21.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.57¥188
$32.48COP 117.2K
-15.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$59.2¥404
$102COP 367.3K
-41.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.6¥502
$108COP 390.4K
-32.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$178¥1,217
$474COP 1.7M
-62.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$118¥805
$371COP 1.3M
-68.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$396¥2,705
$848COP 3.1M
-53.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$210¥1,434
$716COP 2.6M
-70.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,069¥14.1K
$2,871COP 10.4M
-27.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,400¥9,561
$1,375COP 5.0M
1.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$621¥4,244
$542COP 2.0M
14.74%
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: April 13, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $178 in Luoyang and $474 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Luoyang pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $28 in Luoyang vs $33 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $190, 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 63% 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 15% 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: $178 in Luoyang versus $474 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 $304 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 3% 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 $624 in Luoyang versus $1,014 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 $624 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 63% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.