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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $732 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,164 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,596 in Chongqing, rent included.

Medellin costs about 135% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Chongqing is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$2.70 ¥18.07

197.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$22.67 ¥152

112.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$4.79 ¥32.12

103.97%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.01 ¥13.49

44.78%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.46 ¥3.10

321.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.31 ¥2.11

390.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$1.22 ¥8.14

153.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$1.75 ¥11.73

228.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.92 ¥12.85

-29.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.58 ¥10.60

51.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$0.64 ¥4.26

165.63%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.13 ¥14.26

34.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$18.11 ¥121

-45.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$3.31 ¥22.16

225.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$10.09 ¥67.6

45.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.54 ¥10.31

165.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.31 ¥8.79

19.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.18 ¥7.93

80.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.20 ¥8.05

84.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.64 ¥4.30

220.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.93 ¥6.21

61.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.86 ¥5.79

38.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.60 ¥4.05

93.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.89 ¥19.34

34.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$8.73 ¥58.5

65.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$0.76 ¥5.07

107.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$1.62 ¥10.88

74.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.36 ¥2.41

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$21.96 ¥147

253.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.50 ¥10.08

-14.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.29 ¥1.93

620.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$3.00 ¥20.07

187.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.27 ¥8.51

2.36%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$19.1K ¥128.0K

44.84%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$16.9K ¥113.0K

110.59%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$43.83 ¥294

301.71%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$6.95 ¥46.54

92.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$6.87 ¥46.01

335.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$48.77 ¥327

-8.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$10.54 ¥70.7

61.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$5.83 ¥39.04

6.35%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$283 ¥1,900

179.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$25.2K ¥169.1K

-64.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$39.61 ¥265

116.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$29.50 ¥198

98.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$64.5 ¥432

111.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$64.4 ¥431

60.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$420 ¥2,814

152.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$202 ¥1,353

236.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$861 ¥5,768

133.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$415 ¥2,778

181.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$2,682 ¥18.0K

53.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,703 ¥11.4K

-0.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,119 ¥7,500

-40.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.34

227.54%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $420 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 68% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Chongqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $212 – making Chongqing the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 135%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,097 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 $793 per month in Medellin and $283 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chongqing, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.