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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $691 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,088 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,484 in Chengdu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 45% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Chengdu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.84 ¥19.14

108.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$23.43 ¥158

40.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.94 ¥33.34

50.40%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,212

$2.79 ¥18.84

-40.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,472

$0.43 ¥2.93

155.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,461

$0.30 ¥2.03

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,417

$1.14 ¥7.67

50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.11 ¥14.22

50.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,478

$1.79 ¥12.10

-38.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,966

$1.45 ¥9.77

-13.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,354

$0.91 ¥6.17

51.65%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,866

$1.92 ¥12.96

13.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$13.62 ¥91.8

-67.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$3.65 ¥24.63

58.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$11.42 ¥77.0

-21.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,315

$1.84 ¥12.39

26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,356

$1.23 ¥8.29

-13.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,779

$1.44 ¥9.71

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,274

$1.06 ¥7.18

28.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$0.71 ¥4.80

59.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$0.70 ¥4.73

67.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,841

$0.60 ¥4.02

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$0.57 ¥3.83

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,041

$3.40 ¥22.91

-34.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$5.44 ¥36.69

122.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,747

$0.94 ¥6.36

26.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,823

$1.88 ¥12.70

31.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.43 ¥2.92

97.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.2K

$27.82 ¥188

49.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,463

$1.22 ¥8.24

16.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,147

$0.28 ¥1.91

596.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.9K

$4.28 ¥28.84

84.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,122

$1.12 ¥7.55

-11.61%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$18.7K ¥125.9K

-5.66%

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

$26.8K COP 84.5M

$16.7K ¥112.4K

60.87%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$44.08 ¥297

88.32%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$11.44 ¥77.2

-15.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$11.59 ¥78.2

102.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

$23.88 ¥161

5.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

$11.59 ¥78.2

64.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.43 ¥36.63

-27.26%

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

$316 COP 995.3K

$342 ¥2,308

-7.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$12.3K ¥82.9K

-51.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$36.64 ¥247

63.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$38.88 ¥262

-18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$66.4 ¥448

53.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.7K

$51.5 ¥347

108.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$310 ¥2,093

53.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$180 ¥1,215

107.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$611 ¥4,122

38.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$324 ¥2,185

122.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$3,792 ¥25.6K

-13.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,909 ¥12.9K

-24.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,258 ¥8,484

-50.35%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $310 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 101% 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 $23.00 in Chengdu. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $197 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $691 in Chengdu – roughly 45% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,037 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 $23.00 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $691 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 $691, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $691 in Chengdu to $1,003 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.