Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Huizhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Huizhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $703 in Huizhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,080 in Huizhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,457 in Huizhou, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Huizhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Huizhou are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Huizhou 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.03 ¥13.77

195.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$16.33 ¥111

101.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.75 ¥32.13

49.26%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.80 ¥18.92

-38.93%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.47 ¥3.15

134.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.29 ¥1.99

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.01 ¥6.81

66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.56 ¥10.57

96.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.86 ¥12.61

-41.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.46 ¥9.88

-13.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.06 ¥7.16

30.19%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.42 ¥9.59

54.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.51 ¥50.8

-41.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.05 ¥27.41

39.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$11.54 ¥78.1

-22.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.71 ¥11.57

36.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.24 ¥8.41

-14.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.20 ¥8.09

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.27 ¥8.62

8.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.90 ¥6.07

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.09 ¥7.36

6.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.52 ¥3.49

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.43 ¥2.89

95.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.87 ¥19.42

-20.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.78 ¥73.0

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.01 ¥6.85

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.44 ¥9.74

71.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.27 ¥1.80

218.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$16.66 ¥113

148.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.93 ¥6.29

58.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.38 ¥2.55

415.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.39 ¥22.93

128.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.11 ¥7.54

-14.41%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$18.3K ¥124.1K

-1.12%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$14.2K ¥96.1K

86.59%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$46.09 ¥312

78.46%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.51 ¥71.2

-9.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$9.35 ¥63.3

159.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$38.46 ¥260

-32.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$13.96 ¥94.5

36.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.25 ¥42.30

-37.12%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$312 ¥2,109

-0.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$15.8K ¥107.2K

-62.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$40.56 ¥275

44.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$28.56 ¥193

13.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$69.3 ¥469

48.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$60.7 ¥411

78.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$196 ¥1,325

143.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$216 ¥1,464

75.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$375 ¥2,535

123.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$387 ¥2,621

86.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,194 ¥14.8K

27.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,172 ¥7,935

3.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$855 ¥5,788

-40.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Huizhou: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $196 in Huizhou. 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 67% higher in Huizhou, 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 $16.00 in Huizhou. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $189 in Huizhou – 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 Huizhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $703 in Huizhou – roughly 44% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,054 in Huizhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Huizhou, 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 $16.00 in Huizhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $703 in Huizhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Huizhou, where all-in costs run around $703, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Huizhou 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 $703 in Huizhou to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Huizhou. 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.