Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Anshan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Anshan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $545 in Anshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $879 in Anshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,212 in Anshan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 89% more expensive than in Anshan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Anshan 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.53 ¥23.88

74.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$17.35 ¥117

87.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.11 ¥27.75

78.59%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.91 ¥19.65

-40.89%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.30 ¥2.00

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.22 ¥1.49

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.73 ¥4.94

131.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.50 ¥10.11

111.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.59 ¥10.77

-33.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.17 ¥7.88

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.34 ¥2.29

311.76%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.94 ¥13.13

11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.29 ¥56.0

-47.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$1.64 ¥11.11

258.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.43 ¥56.9

2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.00 ¥6.74

128.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.10 ¥7.40

0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.08 ¥7.31

41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.70 ¥4.76

92.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.27 ¥1.80

318.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.77 ¥5.18

46.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.60 ¥4.04

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.44 ¥2.94

106.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.40 ¥22.95

-31.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.45 ¥50.3

66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.73 ¥4.94

64.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.41 ¥9.54

76.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.27 ¥1.80

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$16.88 ¥114

140.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.99 ¥6.72

43.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.33 ¥2.20

481.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.09 ¥27.67

87.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.03 ¥6.94

-3.88%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.2K ¥123.0K

-0.98%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$13.8K ¥93.6K

92.26%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$27.80 ¥188

190.68%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$7.02 ¥47.44

41.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.55 ¥78.1

109.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$28.07 ¥190

-10.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.08 ¥95.2

36.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.45 ¥36.86

-26.97%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$208 ¥1,405

46.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,652 ¥65.2K

-37.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$35.38 ¥239

64.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.68 ¥234

-7.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$82.5 ¥558

22.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$68.9 ¥466

56.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$141 ¥955

237.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$113 ¥760

234.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$279 ¥1,884

203.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$208 ¥1,403

251.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,025 ¥20.4K

6.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,860 ¥12.6K

-26.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$918 ¥6,205

-32.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

571.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Anshan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $141 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anshan pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $146 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

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 Anshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Anshan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $141 in Anshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Anshan – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $545 in Anshan – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $545 in Anshan versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Anshan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Anshan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Anshan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Anshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.