Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gwangju Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gwangju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $1,247 in Gwangju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $1,902 in Gwangju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $2,557 in Gwangju.

Living in Medellin is roughly 35% more expensive than in Gwangju, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Gwangju is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$6.13 ₩8,519

28.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$33.50 ₩46.6K

32.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$5.58 ₩7,756

66.49%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.13 ₩4,345

-7.35%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.44 ₩2,003

25.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.60 ₩839

158.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.86 ₩3,979

13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.51 ₩4,883

67.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.62 ₩2,246

-14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.31 ₩3,216

6.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.23 ₩3,103

-32.29%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.59 ₩3,602

7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.59 ₩11.9K

5.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$7.61 ₩10.6K

39.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$10.74 ₩14.9K

36.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$5.05 ₩7,018

-21.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.78 ₩3,864

-50.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.46 ₩4,816

-33.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$2.86 ₩3,977

-29.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$3.23 ₩4,485

-35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.74 ₩2,414

-6.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.92 ₩2,665

-43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.26 ₩1,755

-0.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.12 ₩4,336

29.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$10.49 ₩14.6K

28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.39 ₩1,927

15.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.13 ₩2,964

40.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.98 ₩1,365

20.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$63.1 ₩87.7K

26.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.99 ₩4,155

-46.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.59 ₩825

261.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$7.38 ₩10.3K

15.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.14 ₩1,581

18.42%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$26.2K ₩36.4M

8.24%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$34.0K ₩47.2M

5.02%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$199 ₩277.2K

-24.10%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$41.55 ₩57.8K

-68.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$19.41 ₩27.0K

66.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$53.5 ₩74.3K

-13.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$11.30 ₩15.7K

52.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$10.42 ₩14.5K

-38.29%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$299 ₩415.6K

179.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$16.7K ₩23.2M

-46.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$29.63 ₩41.2K

201.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$24.36 ₩33.9K

127.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$59.2 ₩82.3K

130.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$85.1 ₩118.2K

28.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$478 ₩663.7K

99.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$334 ₩464.8K

99.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,060 ₩1.5M

90.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$682 ₩948.6K

68.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$7,645 ₩10.6M

-51.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$5,879 ₩8.2M

-73.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$2,658 ₩3.7M

-76.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

3.6

189.72%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $478 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 325% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $34.00 in Gwangju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $293 per month, with Gwangju cheaper across the board.

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 Gwangju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gwangju is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 325% lower in Gwangju. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $952 in Medellin versus $478 in Gwangju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gwangju – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $45.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $1,247 in Gwangju – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,247 in Gwangju versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gwangju but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Gwangju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gwangju is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Gwangju are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gwangju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.