🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $619 in Luoyang versus $1,031 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $987 in Luoyang versus $1,599 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,354 in Luoyang versus $2,167 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Luoyang costs roughly 40% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Luoyang54% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.43¥23.21
$6.16COP 20.1K
-44.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.35¥185
$32.60COP 106.1K
-16.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.13¥34.66
$7.34COP 23.9K
-30.11%
Cappuccino
$3.35¥22.65
$1.72COP 5,599
94.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40¥2.71
$1.05COP 3,420
-61.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23¥1.55
$0.77COP 2,515
-70.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.20¥8.10
$1.69COP 5,487
-28.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78¥18.76
$3.17COP 10.3K
-12.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.74¥11.73
$1.05COP 3,423
65.71%
White Bread(500g)
$2.05¥13.88
$1.30COP 4,236
57.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.94¥6.34
$1.40COP 4,544
-32.86%
Eggs
$1.39¥9.42
$2.16COP 7,046
-35.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.59¥85.1
$4.39COP 14.3K
186.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.17¥21.42
$5.88COP 19.1K
-46.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.26¥55.8
$8.64COP 28.1K
-4.40%
Apples(1kg)
$0.89¥6.01
$2.28COP 7,425
-60.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.21¥8.18
$1.11COP 3,603
9.01%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37¥9.24
$1.53COP 4,982
-10.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.09¥7.37
$1.35COP 4,410
-19.26%
Potato(1kg)
$0.69¥4.66
$1.13COP 3,674
-38.94%
Onion(1kg)
$0.96¥6.48
$1.13COP 3,692
-15.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.44¥2.97
$0.85COP 2,753
-48.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73¥4.96
$0.91COP 2,975
-19.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.59¥10.71
$2.34COP 7,629
-32.05%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.33¥90.1
$12.37COP 40.3K
7.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.40¥2.74
$1.20COP 3,909
-66.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99¥13.47
$2.49COP 8,104
-20.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27¥1.82
$0.84COP 2,727
-67.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$17.01¥115
$40.57COP 132.1K
-58.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.09¥7.38
$1.42COP 4,623
-23.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.32¥2.18
$1.92COP 6,235
-83.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.59¥44.55
$7.66COP 24.9K
-13.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.17¥7.94
$0.99COP 3,223
18.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K¥131.8K
$18.0KCOP 58.7M
8.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.5K¥111.4K
$26.6KCOP 86.7M
-38.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.16¥271
$80.8COP 263.1K
-50.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.72¥38.64
$9.95COP 32.4K
-42.51%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.63¥65.1
$24.18COP 78.7K
-60.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.63¥139
$25.08COP 81.6K
-17.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.33¥76.6
$19.15COP 62.3K
-40.84%
Cinema Ticket
$5.08¥34.31
$3.98COP 13.0K
27.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$184¥1,246
$305COP 993.4K
-39.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.3K¥116.8K
$6,059COP 19.7M
185.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.95¥311
$58.1COP 189.2K
-20.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.67¥187
$32.20COP 104.8K
-14.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$61.1¥413
$101COP 327.9K
-39.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.3¥502
$108COP 350.8K
-31.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$173¥1,169
$477COP 1.6M
-63.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$116¥786
$376COP 1.2M
-69.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$406¥2,746
$845COP 2.7M
-51.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$212¥1,433
$730COP 2.4M
-70.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,069¥14.0K
$3,215COP 10.5M
-35.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,382¥9,337
$1,372COP 4.5M
0.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Luoyang
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$621¥4,195
$617COP 2.0M
0.64%
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: July 13, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $173 in Luoyang and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Luoyang pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $27.00 in Luoyang vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $193, 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 66% 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 in Medellin?
Average pay runs 1% higher in Luoyang, 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 compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $173 in Luoyang versus $477 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 in Medellin?
Childcare runs $184 in Luoyang versus $305 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 in Medellin?
Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 1% 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 in Medellin?
At $619 in Luoyang versus $1,031 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 $619 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 66% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.