Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cheonan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cheonan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,403 in Cheonan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,204 in Cheonan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,005 in Cheonan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Cheonan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Cheonan sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Cheonan by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$7.36 ₩9,982

9.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$21.53 ₩29.2K

124.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$4.20 ₩5,692

132.62%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$1.47 ₩1,994

97.96%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$1.14 ₩1,544

70.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$1.35 ₩1,830

12.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$2.20 ₩2,986

40.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$4.21 ₩5,704

36.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.55 ₩2,104

-12.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$3.16 ₩4,285

-24.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$2.98 ₩4,042

-42.95%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.59 ₩3,516

10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$10.71 ₩14.5K

-7.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$10.11 ₩13.7K

6.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$24.13 ₩32.7K

-38.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$10.67 ₩14.5K

-61.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$3.51 ₩4,757

-55.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$7.99 ₩10.8K

-73.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$5.60 ₩7,586

-60.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$5.71 ₩7,741

-64.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$3.14 ₩4,263

-52.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$2.79 ₩3,780

-57.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$1.31 ₩1,771

-11.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.26 ₩4,425

19.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$17.74 ₩24.1K

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$2.39 ₩3,242

-33.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$3.37 ₩4,570

-16.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$1.10 ₩1,485

6.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$2.88 ₩3,904

-55.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.75 ₩1,017

178.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$16.10 ₩21.8K

-46.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.18 ₩1,604

10.17%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$28.9K ₩39.2M

-4.31%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$32.8K ₩44.5M

8.28%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$191 ₩259.2K

-7.89%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$34.82 ₩47.2K

-61.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$25.91 ₩35.1K

15.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$54.9 ₩74.5K

-18.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$11.69 ₩15.8K

45.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$11.64 ₩15.8K

-46.74%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$611 ₩828.3K

29.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$20.7K ₩28.1M

-56.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$66.4 ₩90.0K

29.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$58.2 ₩78.9K

0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$90.6 ₩122.8K

50.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$125 ₩169.9K

-17.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$426 ₩577.5K

148.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$341 ₩462.6K

99.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,111 ₩1.5M

81.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$704 ₩954.6K

65.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$7,494 ₩10.2M

-45.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$5,453 ₩7.4M

-68.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,755 ₩2.4M

-62.09%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $426 in Cheonan. 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 164% higher in Cheonan, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Cheonan. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $463 in Cheonan – 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 Cheonan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 22% more than Cheonan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,104 in Cheonan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,403 in Cheonan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $611 in Cheonan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cheonan, where all-in costs run around $1,403, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Cheonan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cheonan costs $1,403 versus $1,716 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cheonan. 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.