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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $625 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,022 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,418 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 24% lower, Chongqing 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$2.75 ¥18.57

117.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$21.19 ¥143

55.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$4.83 ¥32.69

46.79%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$2.43 ¥16.44

-29.63%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$0.41 ¥2.77

168.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.29 ¥1.99

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

$1.02 ¥6.89

64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.12 ¥14.36

44.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$1.75 ¥11.86

-37.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$1.27 ¥8.56

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$0.67 ¥4.56

105.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$1.85 ¥12.52

18.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$15.97 ¥108

-72.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$2.56 ¥17.35

119.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$10.12 ¥68.5

-12.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$1.50 ¥10.15

56.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$1.34 ¥9.07

-20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$1.11 ¥7.52

35.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$1.07 ¥7.26

28.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$0.70 ¥4.75

64.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$0.89 ¥6.05

30.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$0.53 ¥3.57

67.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.67 ¥4.52

25.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$3.09 ¥20.92

-26.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

$8.66 ¥58.6

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

$1.03 ¥6.99

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

$2.03 ¥13.75

21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$0.27 ¥1.80

218.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$24.86 ¥168

66.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$1.35 ¥9.15

8.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$0.32 ¥2.17

512.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$2.74 ¥18.52

182.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$1.15 ¥7.77

-17.39%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$18.1K ¥122.4K

0.20%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$16.7K ¥112.7K

58.95%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$37.18 ¥252

121.22%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$5.99 ¥40.54

58.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$8.54 ¥57.8

183.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$21.92 ¥148

18.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$15.77 ¥107

20.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$5.56 ¥37.59

-29.32%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$338 ¥2,287

-8.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$27.2K ¥183.8K

-78.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$29.14 ¥197

101.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$28.87 ¥195

12.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$58.5 ¥396

75.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$59.8 ¥405

81.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$262 ¥1,771

81.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$163 ¥1,102

132.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$567 ¥3,835

47.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$325 ¥2,202

122.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,782 ¥18.8K

0.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$1,736 ¥11.7K

-30.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,093 ¥7,393

-53.16%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $262 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 114% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Chongqing. Groceries tell a different story – $188 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $938 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 $309 per month in Medellin and $338 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% 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 $625, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.