Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Harbin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Harbin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $898 in Harbin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,441 in Harbin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,984 in Harbin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than Harbin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Harbin are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Harbin 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.82 ¥19.07

118.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$20.69 ¥140

57.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.03 ¥34.00

45.92%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.75 ¥18.61

-37.45%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.44 ¥3.01

138.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.29 ¥1.97

165.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.87 ¥5.85

94.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.76 ¥11.87

80.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.88 ¥12.73

-44.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.88 ¥12.71

-30.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.97 ¥6.53

44.33%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.24 ¥8.41

74.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.41 ¥70.4

-57.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.66 ¥24.74

60.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.72 ¥72.4

-19.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.40 ¥16.21

-5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.71 ¥11.54

-35.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.43 ¥16.42

-37.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.05 ¥7.12

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.82 ¥5.55

37.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.75 ¥11.83

-35.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.37 ¥2.48

129.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.74 ¥4.99

22.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.30 ¥15.56

1.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$17.86 ¥121

-30.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.53 ¥3.61

126.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.39 ¥16.12

4.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.29 ¥1.97

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$10.62 ¥71.8

282.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.22 ¥8.23

16.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.36 ¥2.41

433.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.03 ¥67.8

-23.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.16 ¥7.85

-14.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$13.9K ¥94.0K

29.57%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$12.5K ¥84.3K

113.51%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$57.2 ¥387

41.23%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.60 ¥91.9

-26.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$16.17 ¥109

49.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$93.1 ¥629

-73.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$27.48 ¥186

-30.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.44 ¥36.79

-26.84%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$237 ¥1,599

28.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$10.5K ¥70.8K

-42.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$68.6 ¥464

-15.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$28.85 ¥195

11.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$76.5 ¥517

31.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$156 ¥1,055

-30.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$300 ¥2,030

58.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$225 ¥1,519

67.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,326 ¥8,962

-36.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$488 ¥3,298

49.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,139 ¥21.2K

2.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,318 ¥8,908

4.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$883 ¥5,967

-30.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.79

131.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Harbin: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $300 in Harbin. 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 43% higher in Harbin, 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 $21.00 in Harbin. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $225 in Harbin – 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 Harbin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 15% more than Harbin, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,348 in Harbin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $21.00 in Harbin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $898 in Harbin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Harbin, where all-in costs run around $898, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Harbin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Harbin costs $898 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Harbin. 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.