Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hohhot Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hohhot

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $721 in Hohhot, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,121 in Hohhot, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,521 in Hohhot, rent included.

Medellin costs about 138% more than Hohhot, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Hohhot is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.0K

$3.43 ¥22.96

134.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.6K

$22.50 ¥151

114.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$8.84 ¥59.3

10.52%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,085

$3.55 ¥23.76

-18.03%

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

$1.94 COP 6,067

$0.49 ¥3.29

295.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,749

$0.30 ¥2.01

406.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,653

$1.16 ¥7.76

166.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$1.95 ¥13.08

194.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,257

$2.20 ¥14.71

-38.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,452

$1.28 ¥8.57

86.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,308

$1.17 ¥7.83

45.30%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,957

$1.39 ¥9.32

106.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.0K

$13.57 ¥91.0

-26.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$3.07 ¥20.57

251.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$13.10 ¥87.8

12.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.06 ¥13.82

98.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,906

$1.27 ¥8.49

23.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,635

$1.81 ¥12.12

17.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,910

$0.69 ¥4.63

220.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,389

$0.53 ¥3.57

286.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,695

$0.88 ¥5.88

70.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,714

$0.60 ¥4.04

98.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,615

$0.42 ¥2.83

176.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.47 ¥36.64

-28.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$7.36 ¥49.33

96.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,943

$0.87 ¥5.82

81.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,826

$1.74 ¥11.67

62.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,646

$0.15 ¥1.03

680.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.6K

$17.79 ¥119

336.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,009

$1.16 ¥7.79

10.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,530

$0.23 ¥1.54

808.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$3.17 ¥21.26

171.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,052

$1.24 ¥8.32

4.84%

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

$27.7K COP 86.3M

$15.9K ¥106.5K

73.95%

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

$35.5K COP 110.8M

$15.5K ¥103.9K

128.89%

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

$176 COP 549.6K

$55.4 ¥371

217.93%

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

$13.37 COP 41.7K

$6.19 ¥41.47

115.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.3K

$11.37 ¥76.2

162.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.7K

$33.29 ¥223

34.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$13.57 ¥90.9

25.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$5.29 ¥35.45

17.20%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$409 ¥2,743

93.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$23.7K ¥158.9K

-61.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.2K

$58.4 ¥391

46.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.5K

$25.97 ¥174

125.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.4K

$82.2 ¥551

65.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 321.8K

$75.4 ¥505

36.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$211 ¥1,417

401.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$161 ¥1,076

323.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$329 ¥2,203

511.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.6M

$263 ¥1,759

345.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,713 ¥11.5K

140.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,136 ¥7,611

49.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$936 ¥6,271

-28.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.75

191.73%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Hohhot: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $211 in Hohhot. 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 41% higher in Hohhot, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Hohhot. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $202 – making Hohhot the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hohhot: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,716 in Medellin, $721 in Hohhot – roughly 138% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,082 in Hohhot. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 50% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $23.00 in Hohhot. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hohhot, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Hohhot 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 $721 in Hohhot to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Hohhot. 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.