Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jeonju Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jeonju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,030 in Medellin versus $1,244 in Jeonju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,913 in Jeonju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,582 in Jeonju.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 17% less than in Jeonju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Jeonju 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$6.55 ₩9,690

-9.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$27.84 ₩41.2K

19.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$5.23 ₩7,735

38.62%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$3.72 ₩5,502

-54.03%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.07 ₩1,588

1.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.67 ₩992

14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.94 ₩2,868

-9.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.02 ₩4,463

5.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$2.00 ₩2,957

-47.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$2.23 ₩3,294

-41.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$3.07 ₩4,538

-55.05%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.95 ₩4,365

-25.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$10.52 ₩15.5K

-57.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$8.35 ₩12.3K

-30.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$27.69 ₩40.9K

-67.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$8.49 ₩12.5K

-73.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$3.27 ₩4,836

-67.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$7.28 ₩10.8K

-79.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$5.31 ₩7,846

-74.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$5.00 ₩7,399

-76.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$2.97 ₩4,386

-60.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$2.10 ₩3,111

-60.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$1.16 ₩1,713

-26.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$3.24 ₩4,796

-27.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$16.56 ₩24.5K

-33.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.75 ₩2,587

-34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$3.30 ₩4,884

-25.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$1.10 ₩1,628

-28.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$3.46 ₩5,121

-58.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.84 ₩1,245

126.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$16.82 ₩24.9K

-54.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.20 ₩1,776

-14.17%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$27.7K ₩40.9M

-36.06%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$25.3K ₩37.4M

6.75%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$190 ₩280.3K

-57.06%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$50.1 ₩74.1K

-81.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$21.84 ₩32.3K

8.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$47.36 ₩70.0K

-45.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$8.66 ₩12.8K

-53.23%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$486 ₩718.3K

-35.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$14.1K ₩20.9M

-57.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$29.53 ₩43.7K

99.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$47.99 ₩71.0K

-31.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$66.2 ₩97.8K

51.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$118 ₩173.7K

-9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$282 ₩417.6K

73.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$223 ₩330.0K

66.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$561 ₩828.7K

49.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$463 ₩684.2K

54.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.22

218.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Jeonju: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Medellin and $282 in Jeonju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 in Medellin vs $28 in Jeonju. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $432, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Jeonju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,544 in Medellin and $1,866 in Jeonju to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Medellin versus $282 in Jeonju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $486 in Jeonju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $28.00 in Jeonju. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $1,244 in Jeonju, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Jeonju. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Medellin and Jeonju 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Jeonju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.