Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Benxi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Benxi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $659 in Benxi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $931 in Benxi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,204 in Benxi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 52% more than Benxi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Benxi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Benxi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.75 ¥18.57

114.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$21.14 ¥143

55.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.96 ¥33.48

49.80%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.62 ¥17.65

-37.02%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.46 ¥3.09

139.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.27 ¥1.82

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$0.71 ¥4.81

142.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.70 ¥11.50

87.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.76 ¥11.91

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.08 ¥7.32

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.74 ¥4.97

86.49%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.09 ¥7.38

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.97 ¥60.6

-49.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.76 ¥18.65

109.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.60 ¥58.1

4.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.46 ¥9.87

58.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.30 ¥8.77

-18.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.56 ¥10.51

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.23 ¥8.30

10.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.59 ¥3.96

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.78 ¥12.00

-34.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.17 ¥7.89

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.65 ¥4.41

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.87 ¥19.38

-22.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.19 ¥55.3

47.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.54 ¥3.66

120.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$0.91 ¥6.11

172.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.27 ¥1.82

214.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$11.20 ¥75.6

271.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.88 ¥5.92

61.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.26 ¥1.75

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.51 ¥23.71

124.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.05 ¥7.11

-5.71%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$18.1K ¥122.0K

-2.64%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$16.7K ¥113.0K

60.13%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$50.3 ¥339

65.16%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$6.16 ¥41.56

57.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$9.80 ¥66.1

140.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$62.5 ¥422

-59.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.85 ¥53.0

143.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.73 ¥31.93

-16.49%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$417 ¥2,818

-24.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,257 ¥55.7K

-27.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$27.32 ¥184

119.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.25 ¥204

5.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$56.7 ¥383

79.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$49.30 ¥333

117.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$128 ¥863

271.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$188 ¥1,269

98.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$249 ¥1,678

241.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$141 ¥951

410.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$3,504 ¥23.7K

-6.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,912 ¥12.9K

-24.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$451 ¥3,044

38.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Benxi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $128 in Benxi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 38% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Benxi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $169 – making Benxi 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 Benxi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 52% more than Benxi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $988 in Benxi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $417 in Benxi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Benxi, where all-in costs run around $659, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Benxi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Benxi costs $659 versus $1,003 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Benxi. 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.