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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $859 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,406 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,952 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Medellin costs about 20% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Guangzhou (Canton) are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Guangzhou (Canton) 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.82 ¥19.08

118.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$21.90 ¥148

48.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.77 ¥32.22

53.88%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.11 ¥21.00

-44.69%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.50 ¥3.39

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.30 ¥2.01

156.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.01 ¥6.83

67.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.63 ¥11.02

94.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.89 ¥12.76

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.00 ¥13.49

-35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.29 ¥8.71

8.53%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.57 ¥10.59

37.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$18.92 ¥128

-76.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.58 ¥30.92

28.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$14.34 ¥96.9

-39.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.11 ¥14.23

8.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.25 ¥8.42

-11.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.98 ¥13.40

-22.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.42 ¥9.60

-4.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.94 ¥6.33

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.06 ¥7.14

6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.55 ¥3.73

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.65 ¥4.40

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.77 ¥25.44

-37.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.08 ¥81.6

2.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.92 ¥6.25

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.41 ¥9.51

76.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.44 ¥2.94

90.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$24.85 ¥168

63.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.71 ¥11.54

-16.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.35 ¥2.36

448.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.09 ¥41.13

25.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.18 ¥8.00

-16.10%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$21.1K ¥142.6K

-14.54%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.5K ¥131.8K

36.53%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$60.0 ¥406

34.59%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.13 ¥88.7

-24.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.76 ¥79.5

105.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$41.79 ¥282

-39.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.83 ¥93.4

38.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.34 ¥42.86

-37.22%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$313 ¥2,114

-2.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$15.8K ¥106.7K

-61.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$40.68 ¥275

42.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$28.49 ¥192

13.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$69.7 ¥471

44.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$60.2 ¥407

78.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$495 ¥3,347

-3.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$274 ¥1,852

37.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,143 ¥7,723

-26.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$620 ¥4,186

17.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$8,867 ¥59.9K

-63.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$3,363 ¥22.7K

-59.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,278 ¥8,638

-51.75%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $495 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 107% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $253 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $859 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 20% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,288 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $859 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 63% 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 $859, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $859 in Guangzhou (Canton) to $1,031 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.