Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $693 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,102 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,511 in Chengdu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Chengdu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.71 ¥18.34

119.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$23.62 ¥160

41.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.01 ¥33.85

44.31%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.85 ¥19.31

-42.81%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.43 ¥2.90

153.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.30 ¥2.04

143.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.14 ¥7.71

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.06 ¥13.92

56.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.76 ¥11.93

-40.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.45 ¥9.78

-11.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.86 ¥5.79

53.49%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.87 ¥12.61

21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.91 ¥94.1

-68.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.65 ¥24.71

61.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.38 ¥77.0

-24.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.83 ¥12.41

22.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.21 ¥8.20

-11.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.52 ¥10.25

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.06 ¥7.18

33.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.70 ¥4.74

67.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.75 ¥5.05

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.56 ¥3.79

58.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.61 ¥4.10

47.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.36 ¥22.73

-33.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.42 ¥36.65

103.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.99 ¥6.70

15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.87 ¥12.65

27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.41 ¥2.74

104.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$27.48 ¥186

52.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.22 ¥8.24

15.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.26 ¥1.75

630.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.28 ¥28.98

81.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.13 ¥7.62

-10.62%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$18.8K ¥127.3K

-6.61%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$16.4K ¥110.8K

61.68%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$43.99 ¥297

90.23%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.52 ¥77.9

-17.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$11.69 ¥79.1

106.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$24.22 ¥164

4.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$11.33 ¥76.6

68.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.73 ¥38.75

-28.45%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$338 ¥2,284

-7.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$12.2K ¥82.7K

-50.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$37.79 ¥256

53.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$37.95 ¥257

-14.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$67.4 ¥456

47.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$49.73 ¥336

118.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$316 ¥2,134

52.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$182 ¥1,231

108.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$615 ¥4,160

36.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$330 ¥2,230

119.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,780 ¥25.6K

-24.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,910 ¥12.9K

-35.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,220 ¥8,248

-55.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.21

219.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $316 in Chengdu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 126% higher in Chengdu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $198 in Chengdu – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Medellin, $693 in Chengdu – roughly 47% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,040 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $24.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $693 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chengdu, where all-in costs run around $693, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Chengdu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $693 in Chengdu to $1,017 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.