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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $717 in Changshu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,146 in Changshu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,575 in Changshu.

Living in Medellin is roughly 44% more expensive than in Changshu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Changshu 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.87 ¥19.39

114.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$21.81 ¥147

49.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.99 ¥33.75

47.09%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.04 ¥20.56

-43.42%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.46 ¥3.13

128.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.27 ¥1.82

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.92 ¥6.25

83.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.04 ¥13.79

55.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.84 ¥12.45

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.54 ¥10.43

-15.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.98 ¥6.59

42.86%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.56 ¥10.52

38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.69 ¥85.7

-65.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.28 ¥22.15

79.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.36 ¥70.0

-16.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.86 ¥12.57

22.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.20 ¥8.10

-7.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.48 ¥9.99

3.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.10 ¥7.43

22.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.73 ¥4.94

54.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.89 ¥6.01

26.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.56 ¥3.81

51.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.51 ¥3.42

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.19 ¥21.53

-26.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.61 ¥71.7

16.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.75 ¥5.04

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.63 ¥11.03

52.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.29 ¥1.96

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$16.93 ¥114

139.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.42 ¥9.56

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.35 ¥2.39

448.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.79 ¥45.86

12.81%

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

$19.1K ¥129.1K

-5.66%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$16.9K ¥114.4K

57.26%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$45.66 ¥309

76.98%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.59 ¥64.8

3.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.54 ¥78.0

109.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$42.29 ¥286

-40.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.13 ¥95.5

35.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.02 ¥40.65

-33.89%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$328 ¥2,217

-6.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$16.8K ¥113.7K

-63.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$44.49 ¥301

30.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.91 ¥202

7.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$71.9 ¥486

40.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$72.2 ¥488

49.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$282 ¥1,902

69.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$194 ¥1,312

93.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$592 ¥4,003

42.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$359 ¥2,427

103.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,972 ¥20.1K

8.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,059 ¥13.9K

-33.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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 12, 2026

Last update for Changshu: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $282 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 $193 vs $198, 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 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,076 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: $477 in Medellin versus $282 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 $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $717 in Changshu – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $717 in Changshu versus $1,031 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 44% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.