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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $776 per month in Manizales vs $763 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,726 per month in Manizales vs $1,225 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,675 per month in Manizales vs $1,688 in Chengdu, rent included.

Manizales costs about 2% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Manizales and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Manizales 44% lower, Chengdu 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 COP 20.2K

$2.90 ¥19.46

120.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.47 COP 130.6K

$20.18 ¥135

105.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 COP 30.5K

$5.18 ¥34.79

87.07%

Cappuccino

$2.47 COP 7,777

$2.94 ¥19.70

-15.99%

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

$1.36 COP 4,272

$0.48 ¥3.19

183.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.28 ¥1.89

221.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 COP 5,026

$1.46 ¥9.78

9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,820

$2.50 ¥16.75

-0.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 COP 4,950

$1.76 ¥11.82

-10.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 COP 7,794

$1.64 ¥11.00

50.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,168

$0.94 ¥6.32

74.47%

Eggs

$3.70 COP 11.6K

$1.54 ¥10.30

140.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 COP 22.8K

$14.19 ¥95.2

-49.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.69 COP 24.2K

$3.51 ¥23.54

119.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.48 COP 33.0K

$11.04 ¥74.1

-5.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 COP 10.8K

$1.82 ¥12.21

88.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 COP 5,468

$1.26 ¥8.47

38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 COP 5,869

$1.06 ¥7.11

75.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 COP 5,637

$1.25 ¥8.39

43.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,489

$0.69 ¥4.64

107.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,289

$0.72 ¥4.84

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 COP 4,106

$0.73 ¥4.91

78.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,590

$0.59 ¥3.93

93.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 COP 13.8K

$3.63 ¥24.33

20.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 COP 39.9K

$5.47 ¥36.67

131.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 4,626

$0.79 ¥5.29

86.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 COP 9,722

$1.53 ¥10.27

101.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 COP 3,323

$0.43 ¥2.91

146.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.95 ¥167

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 4,858

$1.32 ¥8.82

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 COP 4,921

$0.29 ¥1.94

437.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.26 COP 29.1K

$4.38 ¥29.37

111.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 COP 4,201

$1.23 ¥8.22

8.13%

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

$22.4K COP 70.6M

$19.4K ¥130.0K

15.79%

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

$34.3K COP 107.9M

$17.4K ¥116.9K

96.72%

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

$125 COP 394.0K

$41.04 ¥275

204.87%

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

$12.09 COP 38.1K

$9.46 ¥63.5

27.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 COP 96.5K

$12.83 ¥86.1

138.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.45 ¥184

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ¥74.0

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 COP 25.3K

$6.02 ¥40.40

33.55%

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

$466 COP 1.5M

$410 ¥2,751

13.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,481 COP 20.4M

$14.8K ¥99.1K

-56.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 COP 252.3K

$28.78 ¥193

178.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 COP 159.3K

$29.21 ¥196

73.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 COP 443.1K

$60.8 ¥408

131.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 357.5K

$52.7 ¥353

115.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ¥3,264

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 ¥1,716

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 COP 3.2M

$849 ¥5,699

21.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 COP 3.2M

$545 ¥3,660

85.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,021 COP 6.4M

$3,813 ¥25.6K

-47.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,093 COP 6.6M

$1,909 ¥12.8K

9.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,197 COP 3.8M

$1,284 ¥8,614

-6.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

255.03%

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

Last update for Manizales: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 7% 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 $41.00 in Manizales versus $20.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $196 – making Chengdu 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: $776 in Manizales, $763 in Chengdu – roughly 2% apart. Manizales costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,164 per month in Manizales and $1,145 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Manizales and $20.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Manizales, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $776 in Manizales and $763 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 $763 in Chengdu to $776 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.