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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $767 in Changsha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,219 in Changsha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,671 in Changsha.

Living in Medellin is roughly 31% more expensive than in Changsha, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Changsha 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.81 ¥18.96

110.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$20.61 ¥139

59.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.01 ¥33.80

48.30%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.05 ¥20.57

-45.90%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.42 ¥2.83

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.27 ¥1.83

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.10 ¥7.39

56.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.84 ¥12.42

72.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.94 ¥13.07

-43.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.34 ¥15.79

-46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.92 ¥6.20

50.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.60 ¥10.82

36.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$15.68 ¥106

-71.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.12 ¥21.03

85.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.28 ¥62.6

-3.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.90 ¥12.84

22.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.35 ¥9.10

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.80 ¥12.13

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.79 ¥12.12

-24.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.89 ¥6.02

26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.48 ¥10.00

-20.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.51 ¥3.41

76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.42 ¥2.86

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.75 ¥18.54

-18.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$12.32 ¥83.1

-1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.97 ¥6.53

22.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.43 ¥9.68

73.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.36 ¥2.44

136.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$13.88 ¥93.7

199.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.22 ¥8.21

16.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.28 ¥1.89

596.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$8.26 ¥55.8

-4.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.16 ¥7.86

-14.66%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.3K ¥137.1K

-13.31%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$21.9K ¥147.6K

22.57%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$42.63 ¥288

94.72%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$12.25 ¥82.7

-20.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$14.78 ¥99.8

59.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$58.8 ¥397

-57.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$22.75 ¥154

-16.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.76 ¥38.86

-31.42%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$315 ¥2,129

0.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,268 ¥49.1K

-17.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$83.4 ¥563

-28.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.97 ¥209

2.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$81.3 ¥549

25.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$70.4 ¥475

52.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$204 ¥1,379

132.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$167 ¥1,125

124.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$511 ¥3,451

66.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$353 ¥2,385

103.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,585 ¥17.5K

26.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,377 ¥9,294

4.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,111 ¥7,498

-43.78%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Changsha: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $204 in Changsha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changsha pays 78% 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 $193 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $767 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Changsha. 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: $475 in Medellin versus $204 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 $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $767 in Changsha – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $767 in Changsha versus $1,003 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 31% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.