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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $721 in Huizhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,110 in Huizhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,499 in Huizhou, rent included.

Medellin costs about 43% more than Huizhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Huizhou are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Huizhou 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.13 ¥14.40

189.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.68 ¥113

95.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.84 ¥32.71

51.65%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.70 ¥18.23

-36.30%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.46 ¥3.10

128.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.27 ¥1.82

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.92 ¥6.23

83.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.50 ¥10.15

111.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.83 ¥12.40

-42.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.47 ¥9.93

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.07 ¥7.22

30.84%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.42 ¥9.59

52.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.16 ¥48.42

-38.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.02 ¥27.18

46.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.44 ¥77.3

-24.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.70 ¥11.46

34.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.25 ¥8.45

-11.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.16 ¥7.82

31.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.32 ¥8.91

2.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.89 ¥6.02

26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.04 ¥7.03

8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.53 ¥3.56

60.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.46 ¥3.08

97.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.86 ¥19.34

-18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.20 ¥82.4

1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.00 ¥6.73

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.38 ¥9.31

80.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.27 ¥1.81

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$16.40 ¥111

147.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.01 ¥6.81

40.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.38 ¥2.54

405.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.50 ¥23.65

118.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.10 ¥7.47

-10.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.2K ¥122.7K

-0.70%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$14.1K ¥95.4K

88.68%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$46.31 ¥313

74.50%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.64 ¥71.9

-6.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$9.44 ¥63.8

156.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$38.26 ¥259

-34.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.73 ¥92.8

39.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.49 ¥43.84

-38.67%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$314 ¥2,120

-2.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$16.2K ¥109.5K

-62.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$41.12 ¥278

41.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$28.79 ¥195

11.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$70.5 ¥476

42.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$60.7 ¥410

77.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$196 ¥1,324

143.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$216 ¥1,461

73.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$376 ¥2,541

124.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$386 ¥2,611

89.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,237 ¥15.1K

43.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,160 ¥7,837

18.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$850 ¥5,745

-27.45%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Huizhou: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 38% 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 $17.00 in Huizhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $191 – making Huizhou 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 Huizhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $721 in Huizhou – roughly 43% 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 $1,082 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 $17.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $721 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 $721, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $721 in Huizhou to $1,031 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.