Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guangzhou (Canton) Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guangzhou (Canton)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $850 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,416 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,981 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Medellin costs about 19% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Guangzhou (Canton) are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Guangzhou (Canton) 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.74 ¥18.57

118.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$22.37 ¥151

46.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.77 ¥32.29

48.64%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.17 ¥21.43

-46.06%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.50 ¥3.40

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.30 ¥2.02

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.01 ¥6.84

66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.66 ¥11.21

84.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.89 ¥12.78

-42.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.03 ¥13.77

-37.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.29 ¥8.72

6.98%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.56 ¥10.57

40.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$19.15 ¥130

-77.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.70 ¥31.84

19.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$14.33 ¥97.0

-37.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.12 ¥14.38

10.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.25 ¥8.49

-15.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.99 ¥13.49

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.48 ¥10.03

-6.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.95 ¥6.43

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.08 ¥7.34

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.56 ¥3.81

58.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.61 ¥4.12

37.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.93 ¥26.57

-41.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.48 ¥71.0

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.93 ¥6.31

29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.41 ¥9.54

75.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.44 ¥2.97

95.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$25.10 ¥170

64.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.62 ¥10.98

-9.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.35 ¥2.34

460.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.12 ¥41.39

26.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.16 ¥7.86

-18.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$21.3K ¥144.0K

-14.78%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$19.5K ¥131.7K

36.14%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$60.2 ¥408

36.54%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$12.94 ¥87.6

-26.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$11.49 ¥77.8

110.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$40.75 ¥276

-36.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$13.85 ¥93.7

37.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.47 ¥43.81

-39.26%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$319 ¥2,161

-3.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$16.2K ¥109.7K

-63.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$41.23 ¥279

42.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$28.59 ¥194

13.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$69.1 ¥467

48.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$61.7 ¥417

75.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$492 ¥3,333

-3.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$269 ¥1,824

40.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,135 ¥7,680

-26.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$618 ¥4,181

17.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$8,864 ¥60.0K

-68.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,369 ¥22.8K

-64.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,314 ¥8,894

-61.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.08

229.17%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $492 in Guangzhou (Canton). 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 157% higher in Guangzhou (Canton), 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 $22.00 in Guangzhou (Canton). Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $251 in Guangzhou (Canton) – 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 Guangzhou (Canton): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 19% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,275 in Guangzhou (Canton). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $850 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Guangzhou (Canton). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guangzhou (Canton), where all-in costs run around $850, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Guangzhou (Canton) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Guangzhou (Canton). 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.