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: $1,014 in Medellin versus $648 in Baoji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,596 in Medellin versus $1,002 in Baoji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Medellin versus $1,355 in Baoji.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$2.73 ¥18.67

124.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$11.11 ¥75.9

197.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$4.48 ¥30.57

63.39%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$2.42 ¥16.55

-31.40%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$0.39 ¥2.69

182.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$0.26 ¥1.77

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$0.86 ¥5.85

98.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$1.78 ¥12.19

78.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$1.12 ¥7.64

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$1.60 ¥10.95

-18.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$0.71 ¥4.82

94.37%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$1.67 ¥11.42

32.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$6.92 ¥47.25

-37.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$2.02 ¥13.81

187.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$8.82 ¥60.3

1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$1.09 ¥7.42

107.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$1.10 ¥7.49

0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$0.77 ¥5.27

89.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$0.74 ¥5.05

85.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$0.64 ¥4.39

73.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$0.59 ¥4.00

96.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$0.44 ¥3.02

102.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.49 ¥3.33

77.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$2.85 ¥19.45

-17.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$8.37 ¥57.2

29.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$0.58 ¥3.94

106.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$1.69 ¥11.56

46.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.29 ¥1.99

172.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$16.45 ¥112

147.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$0.73 ¥4.96

94.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$0.21 ¥1.43

809.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$2.75 ¥18.77

178.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.11 ¥7.59

-12.61%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$18.6K ¥126.8K

-2.55%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$16.5K ¥112.5K

59.70%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$46.00 ¥314

76.76%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$6.10 ¥41.67

57.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$12.01 ¥82.0

102.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$41.33 ¥282

-37.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$14.01 ¥95.7

35.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$4.92 ¥33.63

-20.93%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$194 ¥1,324

56.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$8,103 ¥55.3K

-27.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$50.3 ¥343

16.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$36.98 ¥253

-12.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$62.3 ¥425

63.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$69.9 ¥477

54.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$275 ¥1,880

72.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$184 ¥1,257

101.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$592 ¥4,046

43.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$364 ¥2,489

96.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$2,956 ¥20.2K

-2.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$1,767 ¥12.1K

-22.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Baoji: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Medellin and $275 in Baoji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 in Medellin vs $11 in Baoji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $147 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 $1,522 in Medellin and $972 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: $474 in Medellin versus $275 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 148% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Medellin versus $194 in Baoji. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $648 in Baoji versus $1,014 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.