Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chongqing Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chongqing

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $634 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,031 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,429 in Chongqing, rent included.

Medellin costs about 62% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Chongqing are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Chongqing 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.1K

$2.73 ¥18.66

116.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.4K

$21.15 ¥145

56.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$4.98 ¥34.09

45.58%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,119

$2.38 ¥16.25

-28.15%

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

$1.09 COP 3,903

$0.44 ¥3.00

147.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,734

$0.29 ¥1.98

165.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,235

$0.95 ¥6.50

84.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.13 ¥14.57

49.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,781

$1.78 ¥12.16

-40.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,643

$1.25 ¥8.52

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,911

$0.73 ¥4.96

89.04%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,884

$1.86 ¥12.70

18.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.1K

$15.87 ¥109

-71.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$2.51 ¥17.14

131.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.0K

$10.37 ¥70.9

-13.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,158

$1.48 ¥10.11

54.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,779

$1.31 ¥8.94

-19.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,395

$1.07 ¥7.34

41.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,854

$1.13 ¥7.75

20.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,133

$0.65 ¥4.44

78.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,161

$0.90 ¥6.12

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,951

$0.54 ¥3.67

53.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,034

$0.63 ¥4.31

34.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,398

$3.15 ¥21.57

-25.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.6K

$8.89 ¥60.8

24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,120

$0.96 ¥6.56

19.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,827

$1.98 ¥13.55

24.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,819

$0.27 ¥1.84

192.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.3K

$25.11 ¥172

66.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,124

$1.41 ¥9.61

2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,772

$0.30 ¥2.03

533.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.5K

$2.71 ¥18.54

184.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,669

$1.11 ¥7.59

-7.21%

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

$17.7K COP 63.1M

$18.3K ¥125.4K

-3.54%

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

$27.0K COP 96.4M

$16.3K ¥111.5K

65.68%

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

$81.4 COP 290.5K

$35.98 ¥246

126.29%

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

$9.42 COP 33.6K

$6.04 ¥41.33

55.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 84.8K

$8.45 ¥57.8

181.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.3K

$21.73 ¥149

19.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.0K

$15.95 ¥109

21.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$5.46 ¥37.31

-25.82%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$331 ¥2,264

-5.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.6M

$27.4K ¥187.5K

-77.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.0K

$29.34 ¥201

100.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.1K

$28.75 ¥197

14.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 358.5K

$58.5 ¥400

71.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 379.2K

$60.0 ¥410

77.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.7M

$266 ¥1,818

84.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$158 ¥1,083

134.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$582 ¥3,979

44.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$324 ¥2,214

120.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.5M

$2,569 ¥17.6K

14.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,657 ¥11.3K

-15.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$1,041 ¥7,123

-48.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.74

259.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $266 in Chongqing. 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 96% higher in Chongqing, 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 in Medellin versus $21 in Chongqing. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $197 in Chongqing – 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 Chongqing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $951 in Chongqing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $331 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chongqing, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Chongqing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chongqing – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chongqing. 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.