Cost of Living Comparison Between Manizales and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Manizales and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $732 per month in Manizales vs $689 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,069 per month in Manizales vs $1,083 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,407 per month in Manizales vs $1,477 in Chengdu, rent included.

Manizales costs about 6% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manizales and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Manizales 45% lower, Chengdu 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 COP 12.8K

$2.85 ¥19.30

25.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.72 COP 59.7K

$24.00 ¥162

-30.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 COP 26.9K

$4.99 ¥33.72

51.10%

Cappuccino

$1.30 COP 4,654

$2.77 ¥18.73

-53.07%

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

$0.73 COP 2,611

$0.46 ¥3.14

58.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 COP 1,887

$0.30 ¥2.06

76.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 COP 3,934

$1.13 ¥7.62

-2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 COP 7,591

$2.13 ¥14.43

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,497

$1.80 ¥12.18

-45.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 COP 5,042

$1.39 ¥9.38

1.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,030

$0.90 ¥6.09

25.56%

Eggs

$1.96 COP 7,012

$1.86 ¥12.59

5.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.86 COP 17.4K

$13.62 ¥92.1

-64.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 COP 18.3K

$3.56 ¥24.07

44.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.28 COP 26.0K

$11.23 ¥76.0

-35.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 COP 11.0K

$1.86 ¥12.61

65.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 COP 3,728

$1.18 ¥7.99

-11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,857

$1.50 ¥10.15

-9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 COP 4,621

$1.04 ¥7.01

24.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,987

$0.70 ¥4.73

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,229

$0.70 ¥4.71

68.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 COP 2,579

$0.56 ¥3.81

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,779

$0.61 ¥4.12

27.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 COP 8,837

$3.24 ¥21.91

-23.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 COP 32.8K

$5.44 ¥36.77

69.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 COP 3,960

$1.00 ¥6.78

11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 COP 6,672

$1.87 ¥12.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 COP 2,341

$0.41 ¥2.77

60.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.63 COP 95.1K

$27.31 ¥185

-2.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 COP 4,222

$1.22 ¥8.28

-3.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 COP 4,446

$0.26 ¥1.75

380.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 COP 21.9K

$4.09 ¥27.62

50.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,625

$1.14 ¥7.69

-10.53%

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

$15.6K COP 55.7M

$18.7K ¥126.6K

-16.61%

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

$25.5K COP 91.2M

$16.0K ¥108.4K

59.22%

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

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$45.05 ¥305

30.23%

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

$9.30 COP 33.2K

$11.69 ¥79.1

-20.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.36 COP 90.5K

$11.38 ¥77.0

122.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.23 COP 97.2K

$24.49 ¥166

11.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.07 COP 68.1K

$11.16 ¥75.5

70.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.26 COP 11.6K

$5.54 ¥37.45

-41.16%

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

$240 COP 858.5K

$333 ¥2,249

-27.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,608 COP 30.7M

$12.1K ¥82.1K

-29.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.63 COP 134.4K

$37.92 ¥256

-0.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.42 COP 108.6K

$38.57 ¥261

-21.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 COP 234.5K

$67.4 ¥456

-2.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.2 COP 215.0K

$50.7 ¥343

18.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 COP 950.2K

$318 ¥2,149

-16.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 COP 783.6K

$179 ¥1,213

22.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 COP 1.5M

$610 ¥4,128

-29.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 COP 1.1M

$335 ¥2,263

-11.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,542 COP 5.5M

$3,810 ¥25.8K

-59.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,422 COP 5.1M

$1,922 ¥13.0K

-25.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$740 COP 2.6M

$1,257 ¥8,501

-41.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

161.28%

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

Last update for Manizales: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Manizales versus $318 in Chengdu. 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 70% higher in Chengdu, 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 $17.00 in Manizales versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $196 – making Manizales the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Manizales vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $732 in Manizales, $689 in Chengdu – roughly 6% apart. Manizales costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,098 per month in Manizales and $1,033 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, 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 $17.00 in Manizales and $24.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $732 in Manizales and $689 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $732 in Manizales and $689 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manizales has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $689 in Chengdu to $732 in Manizales. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manizales makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.