Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gongzhuling Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gongzhuling

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $565 in Gongzhuling, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $908 in Gongzhuling, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,251 in Gongzhuling, rent included.

Medellin costs about 79% more than Gongzhuling, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Gongzhuling are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Gongzhuling 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$1.91 ¥12.95

213.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$15.61 ¥106

110.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$4.13 ¥28.00

71.67%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$1.77 ¥11.98

-3.39%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.41 ¥2.75

168.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.20 ¥1.35

290.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$0.71 ¥4.83

136.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.50 ¥10.19

104.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.23 ¥8.36

-11.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.98 ¥13.44

-36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$0.99 ¥6.68

39.39%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.09 ¥7.40

100.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.12 ¥48.26

-38.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$2.92 ¥19.80

92.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$8.18 ¥55.4

8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$0.54 ¥3.66

333.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$0.66 ¥4.47

60.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$0.47 ¥3.16

219.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.44 ¥2.98

213.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.41 ¥2.77

180.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.48 ¥3.24

141.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.43 ¥2.92

106.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.58 ¥3.90

44.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$3.17 ¥21.44

-28.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.87 ¥73.6

-2.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$0.72 ¥4.88

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$0.96 ¥6.53

157.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.29 ¥1.99

196.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$16.86 ¥114

145.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$1.06 ¥7.18

38.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.35 ¥2.39

460.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$2.45 ¥16.58

215.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.20 ¥8.11

-20.83%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$17.9K ¥121.6K

1.01%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$15.6K ¥105.5K

70.06%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$26.52 ¥180

210.14%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$5.63 ¥38.11

68.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$9.64 ¥65.3

151.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$41.40 ¥280

-37.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$13.68 ¥92.7

38.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.95 ¥33.51

-20.61%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$374 ¥2,532

-17.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$11.0K ¥74.4K

-45.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$15.32 ¥104

282.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$20.91 ¥142

54.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$71.0 ¥481

44.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$40.90 ¥277

165.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$277 ¥1,879

71.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$188 ¥1,276

101.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$594 ¥4,024

41.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$361 ¥2,448

100.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$3,171 ¥21.5K

-11.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,796 ¥12.2K

-32.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$332 ¥2,246

54.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.5

283.71%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gongzhuling: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $277 in Gongzhuling. 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 54% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Gongzhuling. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $150 – making Gongzhuling 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 Gongzhuling: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 79%, 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 $848 in Gongzhuling. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gongzhuling, 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 $374 in Gongzhuling. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 Gongzhuling, where all-in costs run around $565, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Gongzhuling it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gongzhuling – 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 Gongzhuling. 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.