Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baoji Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baoji

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $643 in Baoji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $999 in Baoji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,356 in Baoji.

Living in Medellin is roughly 56% more expensive than in Baoji, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Baoji 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$2.84 ¥19.15

108.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$11.08 ¥74.9

197.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$4.47 ¥30.17

66.22%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.47 ¥16.70

-33.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.42 ¥2.86

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.26 ¥1.74

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$0.87 ¥5.88

97.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$1.70 ¥11.48

87.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.12 ¥7.55

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.54 ¥10.42

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$0.74 ¥5.01

86.49%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.60 ¥10.83

36.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$6.85 ¥46.29

-34.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$1.99 ¥13.45

190.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.79 ¥59.4

2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.09 ¥7.36

112.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.10 ¥7.44

-3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$0.80 ¥5.40

90.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.69 ¥4.66

97.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.60 ¥4.07

88.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.58 ¥3.90

101.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.44 ¥2.99

104.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.53 ¥3.57

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.75 ¥18.56

-18.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$7.56 ¥51.1

60.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$0.58 ¥3.89

105.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.72 ¥11.63

44.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.29 ¥1.97

193.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$17.01 ¥115

144.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.73 ¥4.91

94.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.23 ¥1.55

747.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$2.74 ¥18.52

187.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.14 ¥7.71

-13.16%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$18.4K ¥124.6K

-4.56%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$16.5K ¥111.4K

62.49%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$45.61 ¥308

82.00%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$6.10 ¥41.18

59.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$11.90 ¥80.4

97.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$42.23 ¥285

-40.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$14.04 ¥94.9

36.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$4.96 ¥33.49

-20.36%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$199 ¥1,341

59.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$8,171 ¥55.2K

-26.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$49.11 ¥332

22.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$36.73 ¥248

-13.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$61.7 ¥417

64.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$68.7 ¥464

56.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$279 ¥1,887

70.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$187 ¥1,264

99.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$593 ¥4,007

43.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$363 ¥2,450

98.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$2,795 ¥18.9K

16.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$2,163 ¥14.6K

-33.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.32

210.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Baoji: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $279 in Baoji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $11.00 in Baoji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $144 per month, with Baoji 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 Baoji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baoji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $965 in Baoji to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $279 in Baoji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baoji runs roughly 145% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $199 in Baoji. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $643 in Baoji versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baoji but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Baoji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baoji 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 Baoji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.