Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Changwon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Changwon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $1,175 in Changwon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,792 in Changwon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $2,409 in Changwon.

Living in Medellin is roughly 40% more expensive than in Changwon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Changwon is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$7.31 ₩9,808

9.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$27.35 ₩36.7K

76.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.35 ₩7,169

76.07%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.60 ₩4,831

-18.33%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.81 ₩2,423

2.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.94 ₩1,256

55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.91 ₩3,902

10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.36 ₩5,847

30.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.31 ₩3,091

-37.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.13 ₩4,191

-23.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.15 ₩4,228

-46.03%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.60 ₩3,489

11.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.06 ₩14.8K

-9.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$10.52 ₩14.1K

-5.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$24.67 ₩33.1K

-42.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$11.29 ₩15.1K

-64.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$3.67 ₩4,926

-56.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$7.83 ₩10.5K

-72.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$5.89 ₩7,897

-60.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$5.89 ₩7,898

-66.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$3.27 ₩4,390

-53.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.85 ₩3,818

-57.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.33 ₩1,788

-3.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.40 ₩4,560

12.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$18.84 ₩25.3K

-25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.34 ₩3,141

-26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.50 ₩4,688

-21.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.92 ₩3,920

-55.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.76 ₩1,023

185.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$16.94 ₩22.7K

-51.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.32 ₩1,771

3.03%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$29.5K ₩39.6M

-6.99%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$33.5K ₩44.9M

9.06%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$198 ₩265.3K

-14.72%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$35.58 ₩47.7K

-61.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$26.96 ₩36.2K

5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$52.4 ₩70.3K

-12.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$11.03 ₩14.8K

-39.71%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$630 ₩844.5K

27.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$22.0K ₩29.5M

-58.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$106 ₩141.6K

-17.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$65.4 ₩87.7K

-9.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$93.0 ₩124.7K

49.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$126 ₩168.9K

-18.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,661 ₩2.2M

-60.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.22

159.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Changwon: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Changwon pays 154% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Changwon. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $484, 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 Changwon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Changwon differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $1,175 including rent). Changwon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 154% lower in Changwon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 61% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $1,175 in Changwon – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,175 in Changwon versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changwon but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Changwon 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Changwon 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 Changwon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.