Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Changchun Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Changchun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $748 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,109 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,469 in Changchun.

Living in Medellin is roughly 38% more expensive than in Changchun, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Changchun 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.77 ¥18.71

122.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$20.26 ¥137

60.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.92 ¥33.27

49.19%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.57 ¥17.36

-33.07%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.48 ¥3.27

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.29 ¥1.97

165.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.83 ¥5.58

103.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.04 ¥13.77

55.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.89 ¥12.77

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.25 ¥8.42

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.28 ¥8.67

9.37%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.10 ¥7.45

96.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.67 ¥85.6

-65.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.42 ¥23.08

71.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.41 ¥56.8

2.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.47 ¥9.90

55.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.03 ¥6.95

7.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.86 ¥5.81

77.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.30 ¥8.81

3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.73 ¥4.93

54.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.66 ¥4.46

71.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.44 ¥2.94

93.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.56 ¥3.76

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.21 ¥21.68

-27.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.69 ¥79.0

5.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.67 ¥4.50

79.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$0.94 ¥6.36

164.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.27 ¥1.81

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$16.96 ¥115

139.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.08 ¥7.30

31.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.26 ¥1.76

638.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.43 ¥23.15

123.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.12 ¥7.55

-11.61%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.2K ¥122.8K

-0.77%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$18.7K ¥126.0K

42.75%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$42.61 ¥288

89.65%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$14.76 ¥99.7

-32.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$14.14 ¥95.6

71.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$42.40 ¥287

-40.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$3.75 ¥25.35

410.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.00 ¥33.81

-20.40%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$284 ¥1,919

7.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,474 ¥57.3K

-28.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$27.58 ¥186

110.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.90 ¥209

4.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$74.1 ¥501

35.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$77.5 ¥524

38.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$276 ¥1,864

72.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$233 ¥1,577

61.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$596 ¥4,024

41.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$358 ¥2,420

103.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,745 ¥11.8K

84.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$993 ¥6,709

38.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$942 ¥6,366

-34.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.27

154.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Changchun: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $276 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changchun pays 53% 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 $20.00 in Changchun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $185 per month, with Changchun 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 Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changchun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 53% lower in Changchun. 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 $276 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Changchun runs roughly 139% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $284 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $748 in Changchun versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changchun but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Changchun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Changchun 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 Changchun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.