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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $752 in Changsha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,227 in Changsha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,701 in Changsha.

Living in Medellin is roughly 35% more expensive than Changsha, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Changsha 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.81 ¥19.03

111.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$20.63 ¥140

61.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.77 ¥32.28

51.57%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.07 ¥20.73

-46.91%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.42 ¥2.85

159.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.25 ¥1.69

192.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.10 ¥7.42

58.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.86 ¥12.56

73.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.92 ¥12.95

-45.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.35 ¥15.87

-45.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.93 ¥6.29

41.94%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.63 ¥11.01

39.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$15.89 ¥107

-72.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.07 ¥20.79

91.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.02 ¥61.0

-4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.91 ¥12.92

17.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.29 ¥8.72

-17.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.77 ¥11.97

-14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.81 ¥12.25

-21.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.89 ¥6.00

31.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.53 ¥10.33

-23.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.50 ¥3.39

78.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.42 ¥2.87

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.80 ¥18.95

-19.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$12.47 ¥84.3

-11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.90 ¥6.07

26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.43 ¥9.70

66.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.34 ¥2.29

147.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$13.73 ¥92.9

205.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.28 ¥8.69

10.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.26 ¥1.74

630.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.25 ¥55.8

-6.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.14 ¥7.68

-11.40%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.4K ¥137.7K

-13.64%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.6K ¥145.9K

22.78%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$43.59 ¥295

91.97%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$12.35 ¥83.5

-23.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$14.65 ¥99.0

64.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$56.8 ¥384

-55.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$22.83 ¥154

-16.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.01 ¥40.62

-31.78%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$311 ¥2,106

0.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,443 ¥50.3K

-19.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$84.3 ¥570

-31.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$31.02 ¥210

4.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$81.0 ¥548

22.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$69.5 ¥470

56.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$207 ¥1,400

132.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$173 ¥1,171

119.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$513 ¥3,467

63.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$354 ¥2,394

104.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,513 ¥17.0K

12.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,370 ¥9,263

-10.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,109 ¥7,500

-51.23%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Changsha: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $207 in Changsha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changsha pays 105% 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 $222, 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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $752 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Changsha earns 105% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $207 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 $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $752 in Changsha – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $752 in Changsha versus $1,017 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 35% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.