Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Changshu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Changshu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $709 in Changshu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,130 in Changshu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,551 in Changshu.

Living in Medellin is roughly 43% more expensive than Changshu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Changshu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$2.81 ¥19.05

113.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$21.75 ¥147

51.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$4.91 ¥33.29

44.40%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$3.07 ¥20.77

-44.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.44 ¥2.96

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.27 ¥1.81

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$0.87 ¥5.90

93.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.05 ¥13.86

49.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.88 ¥12.77

-42.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.56 ¥10.53

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$0.95 ¥6.40

45.26%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.55 ¥10.47

41.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.87 ¥87.2

-65.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$3.22 ¥21.79

74.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$10.32 ¥69.9

-13.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.80 ¥12.16

30.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.22 ¥8.24

-13.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.49 ¥10.06

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$1.10 ¥7.47

25.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.74 ¥5.00

55.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.96 ¥6.50

20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.56 ¥3.80

58.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.55 ¥3.76

52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$3.15 ¥21.33

-27.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.59 ¥71.8

0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$0.79 ¥5.32

51.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$1.57 ¥10.66

57.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.29 ¥1.98

196.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$16.75 ¥113

147.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$1.43 ¥9.69

2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.33 ¥2.21

493.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$6.85 ¥46.42

12.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.12 ¥7.62

-15.18%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$19.6K ¥132.4K

-7.28%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$17.3K ¥117.3K

52.91%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$44.27 ¥300

85.79%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$9.92 ¥67.2

-4.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$11.49 ¥77.8

110.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$41.00 ¥278

-36.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$13.92 ¥94.3

36.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.04 ¥40.91

-34.93%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$335 ¥2,268

-7.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$17.1K ¥116.1K

-65.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$43.70 ¥296

34.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$30.70 ¥208

5.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$72.3 ¥490

41.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$72.2 ¥489

50.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$274 ¥1,854

74.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$196 ¥1,327

93.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$602 ¥4,079

39.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$366 ¥2,478

97.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$3,045 ¥20.6K

-8.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,017 ¥13.7K

-39.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Changshu: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $274 in Changshu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $22.00 in Changshu. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $199, 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 Changshu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changshu is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,064 in Changshu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $274 in Changshu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changshu – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $709 in Changshu – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $709 in Changshu versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changshu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Changshu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Changshu 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Changshu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Changshu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.