Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guiyang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guiyang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $709 in Guiyang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,116 in Guiyang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,523 in Guiyang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 45% more than Guiyang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Guiyang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Guiyang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.72 ¥18.41

126.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$21.69 ¥147

50.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.74 ¥32.05

54.85%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.97 ¥20.04

-42.09%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.47 ¥3.15

123.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.29 ¥1.99

165.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.87 ¥5.87

94.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.06 ¥13.93

53.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.79 ¥12.07

-41.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.56 ¥10.51

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.96 ¥6.51

45.83%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.61 ¥10.87

34.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.80 ¥86.5

-65.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.10 ¥20.93

89.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.34 ¥69.9

-16.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.85 ¥12.50

23.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.21 ¥8.18

-8.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.55 ¥10.49

-1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.15 ¥7.76

17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.71 ¥4.77

59.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.96 ¥6.50

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.60 ¥4.03

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.51 ¥3.48

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.18 ¥21.49

-26.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.39 ¥70.2

19.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.79 ¥5.34

51.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.58 ¥10.67

57.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.29 ¥1.98

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$16.69 ¥113

143.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.41 ¥9.55

0.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.33 ¥2.20

481.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.72 ¥45.43

13.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.18 ¥7.96

-16.10%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.2K ¥130.0K

-6.26%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$17.2K ¥116.3K

54.69%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$45.45 ¥307

77.80%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.95 ¥67.2

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.95 ¥80.8

102.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$42.47 ¥287

-40.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.88 ¥93.8

37.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.86 ¥39.57

-32.08%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$330 ¥2,232

-7.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$17.1K ¥115.7K

-64.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$43.21 ¥292

34.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.21 ¥204

6.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$71.0 ¥480

41.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$71.7 ¥485

50.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$277 ¥1,872

72.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$194 ¥1,314

93.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$590 ¥3,990

43.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$366 ¥2,474

99.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,025 ¥20.4K

6.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,047 ¥13.8K

-32.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.89

245.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Guiyang: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $277 in Guiyang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Guiyang. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $198 in Guiyang – 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 Guiyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $709 in Guiyang – roughly 45% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,063 in Guiyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guiyang, 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 $330 in Guiyang. 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guiyang, where all-in costs run around $709, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Guiyang 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 $709 in Guiyang to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Guiyang. 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.