Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Changsha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Changsha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $770 in Changsha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,221 in Changsha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,673 in Changsha.

Living in Medellin is roughly 34% more expensive than Changsha, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Changsha 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.87 ¥19.63

106.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$20.69 ¥142

58.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.91 ¥33.62

46.64%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.96 ¥20.26

-42.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.46 ¥3.16

139.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.25 ¥1.71

188.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.09 ¥7.45

53.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.86 ¥12.74

66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.93 ¥13.25

-45.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.24 ¥15.35

-44.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.91 ¥6.25

52.75%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.61 ¥11.06

40.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$15.92 ¥109

-72.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.20 ¥21.94

82.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.89 ¥60.9

-0.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.84 ¥12.61

21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.34 ¥9.16

-19.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.78 ¥12.19

-14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.82 ¥12.43

-24.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.89 ¥6.07

26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.46 ¥9.98

-23.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.48 ¥3.26

77.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.40 ¥2.73

127.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.83 ¥19.38

-17.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.37 ¥84.8

-10.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.89 ¥6.09

33.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.43 ¥9.83

65.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.37 ¥2.50

113.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$14.21 ¥97.3

189.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.24 ¥8.49

16.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.26 ¥1.78

634.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$8.13 ¥55.7

-1.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.18 ¥8.10

-20.34%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.7K ¥142.1K

-13.60%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.9K ¥149.9K

22.43%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$42.83 ¥293

96.03%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$12.61 ¥86.4

-23.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$14.52 ¥99.5

66.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$57.1 ¥391

-54.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$23.08 ¥158

-17.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.95 ¥40.75

-34.12%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$313 ¥2,144

-2.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,239 ¥49.6K

-18.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$84.7 ¥580

-31.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$31.31 ¥214

1.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$82.1 ¥563

21.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$69.3 ¥475

54.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$208 ¥1,424

134.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$171 ¥1,170

115.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$506 ¥3,463

63.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$366 ¥2,504

95.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,503 ¥17.1K

16.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,325 ¥9,073

6.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,094 ¥7,496

-50.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.89

245.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Changsha: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $208 in Changsha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changsha pays 101% 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 $21.00 in Changsha. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $220, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Changsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Changsha differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $770 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Changsha earns 101% less. 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: $487 in Medellin versus $208 in Changsha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changsha – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $770 in Changsha – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $770 in Changsha versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changsha but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Changsha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Changsha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.