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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $671 in Benxi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $949 in Benxi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,227 in Benxi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 51% more than Benxi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Benxi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Benxi 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.74 ¥18.51

117.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$20.54 ¥139

62.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.85 ¥32.76

49.07%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.64 ¥17.88

-38.26%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.45 ¥3.07

142.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.29 ¥1.96

151.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$0.72 ¥4.90

141.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.64 ¥11.06

96.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.71 ¥11.56

-38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.13 ¥7.62

14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.76 ¥5.14

73.68%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.10 ¥7.41

106.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.22 ¥62.4

-52.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.78 ¥18.77

111.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.50 ¥57.5

1.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.45 ¥9.80

55.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.34 ¥9.04

-20.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.50 ¥10.11

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.24 ¥8.38

14.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.54 ¥3.64

116.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.73 ¥11.69

-32.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.17 ¥7.90

-23.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.64 ¥4.35

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.75 ¥18.56

-18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.95 ¥53.8

38.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.59 ¥3.97

93.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$0.89 ¥6.02

167.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.29 ¥1.98

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$11.29 ¥76.4

271.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.80 ¥5.44

76.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.28 ¥1.91

578.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.44 ¥23.27

125.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.11 ¥7.49

-9.01%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$18.4K ¥124.6K

-4.59%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$16.8K ¥113.5K

57.82%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$51.7 ¥349

62.01%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$6.41 ¥43.33

47.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$9.80 ¥66.3

146.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$62.3 ¥421

-59.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$7.72 ¥52.2

147.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.80 ¥32.49

-14.58%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$413 ¥2,790

-24.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,483 ¥57.4K

-29.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$27.71 ¥187

109.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$30.72 ¥208

5.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$55.1 ¥373

80.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$49.47 ¥335

119.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$126 ¥850

283.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$189 ¥1,277

100.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$239 ¥1,619

249.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$138 ¥932

424.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,164 ¥21.4K

-10.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,797 ¥12.1K

-31.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$440 ¥2,978

22.83%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Benxi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $126 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 23% 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: $190 vs $168 – 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 51% 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,007 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 $312 per month in Medellin and $413 in Benxi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $671, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $671 versus $1,017 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.