Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ankang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ankang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $674 in Ankang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,063 in Ankang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,451 in Ankang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 154% more than Ankang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Ankang is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$1.48 ¥9.91

442.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$15.14 ¥102

218.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$2.93 ¥19.68

233.45%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.13 ¥14.31

36.62%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.44 ¥2.95

340.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.27 ¥1.80

462.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.53 ¥10.26

101.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$1.53 ¥10.28

275.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.42 ¥9.51

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$1.71 ¥11.48

39.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$0.89 ¥5.95

91.01%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$1.46 ¥9.76

96.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$11.43 ¥76.7

-13.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$3.57 ¥23.96

201.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$10.58 ¥71.0

39.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.67 ¥11.21

144.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.12 ¥7.49

40.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$1.24 ¥8.32

71.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$1.26 ¥8.42

75.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.63 ¥4.23

225.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.75 ¥5.05

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.54 ¥3.64

120.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.58 ¥3.92

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.40 ¥22.82

14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$8.56 ¥57.5

68.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$0.79 ¥5.33

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$1.66 ¥11.13

70.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.32 ¥2.16

265.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$15.56 ¥104

399.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$1.22 ¥8.22

4.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.31 ¥2.10

574.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$4.35 ¥29.21

98.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.28 ¥8.60

1.56%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$19.3K ¥129.4K

43.37%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$17.4K ¥117.1K

103.51%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$61.5 ¥413

186.34%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$3.30 ¥22.14

305.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$10.54 ¥70.8

183.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$38.37 ¥257

16.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$17.02 ¥114

0.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$5.35 ¥35.92

15.89%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$691 ¥4,638

14.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$17.7K ¥118.9K

-49.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$38.25 ¥257

123.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$37.15 ¥249

57.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$75.7 ¥508

80.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$85.2 ¥572

20.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$304 ¥2,038

248.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$205 ¥1,373

232.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$549 ¥3,684

266.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$356 ¥2,386

228.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$3,426 ¥23.0K

20.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,757 ¥11.8K

-3.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.35

226.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ankang: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $304 in Ankang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Ankang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $188 – making Ankang 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

Medellin vs Ankang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 154%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,012 in Ankang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ankang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 400% less in Ankang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $691 in Ankang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ankang, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Ankang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ankang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ankang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.