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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $632 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,017 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,402 in Chongqing, rent included.

Medellin costs about 63% 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

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$2.72 ¥18.40

118.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.4K

$20.56 ¥139

61.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$4.98 ¥33.71

42.97%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,480

$2.43 ¥16.41

-29.63%

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

$1.05 COP 3,370

$0.43 ¥2.93

144.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,321

$0.27 ¥1.80

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,524

$1.00 ¥6.74

72.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.06 ¥13.97

53.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,422

$1.74 ¥11.78

-39.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,209

$1.25 ¥8.45

4.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,273

$0.73 ¥4.93

82.19%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,328

$1.78 ¥12.07

28.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$15.59 ¥105

-71.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$2.56 ¥17.31

131.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$10.36 ¥70.1

-16.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,535

$1.50 ¥10.12

56.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,541

$1.35 ¥9.11

-18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,718

$1.08 ¥7.28

36.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,433

$1.08 ¥7.29

27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,769

$0.64 ¥4.36

82.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,760

$0.92 ¥6.21

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,902

$0.56 ¥3.80

60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,704

$0.62 ¥4.18

35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,480

$3.09 ¥20.92

-24.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$8.92 ¥60.3

33.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,688

$1.03 ¥6.95

11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,780

$1.97 ¥13.36

22.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,698

$0.29 ¥1.96

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.2K

$25.51 ¥173

60.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,535

$1.43 ¥9.64

-1.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,152

$0.32 ¥2.17

496.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.1K

$2.81 ¥19.03

178.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,033

$1.10 ¥7.47

-14.55%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$17.9K ¥121.3K

-0.65%

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

$27.1K COP 87.0M

$16.4K ¥110.9K

65.25%

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

$83.3 COP 267.5K

$37.13 ¥251

124.24%

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

$9.66 COP 31.0K

$5.99 ¥40.50

61.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.8K

$8.21 ¥55.5

195.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$21.68 ¥147

16.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.1K

$15.94 ¥108

21.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$5.49 ¥37.17

-25.87%

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

$307 COP 985.2K

$340 ¥2,298

-9.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$26.6K ¥180.2K

-77.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.6K

$28.91 ¥196

107.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.9K

$29.27 ¥198

11.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 324.8K

$58.1 ¥393

73.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.2K

$60.6 ¥410

78.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$268 ¥1,814

77.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$158 ¥1,070

139.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$573 ¥3,880

42.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$317 ¥2,143

123.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$2,741 ¥18.5K

16.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,722 ¥11.6K

-16.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$1,103 ¥7,461

-43.62%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $260 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 82% 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 – $193 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 63%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $948 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 $305 per month in Medellin and $335 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $632, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.