Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jiangmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jiangmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $643 in Jiangmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $958 in Jiangmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,273 in Jiangmen.

Living in Medellin is roughly 60% more expensive than in Jiangmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Jiangmen 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.04 ¥20.56

102.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.98 ¥115

91.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.15 ¥34.80

42.52%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.76 ¥18.68

-37.68%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.50 ¥3.38

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.30 ¥2.03

156.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.28 ¥8.67

32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.74 ¥18.54

15.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.79 ¥12.13

-41.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.52 ¥10.26

-14.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.96 ¥6.47

45.83%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.64 ¥11.10

31.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.12 ¥48.10

-38.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.19 ¥21.57

84.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.50 ¥64.2

-9.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.90 ¥12.81

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.28 ¥8.65

-13.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.06 ¥7.13

44.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.24 ¥8.37

8.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.61 ¥4.16

85.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.84 ¥5.65

34.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.36 ¥2.44

136.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.58 ¥3.93

56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.51 ¥23.74

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.21 ¥82.5

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.61 ¥4.13

96.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.63 ¥11.01

52.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.41 ¥2.75

104.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$16.75 ¥113

142.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.41 ¥9.51

0.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.34 ¥2.32

464.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.75 ¥45.61

13.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.12 ¥7.59

-11.61%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.1K ¥156.0K

-21.89%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.7K ¥139.8K

28.68%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$38.27 ¥259

111.16%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.07 ¥54.5

23.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.37 ¥76.8

112.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$28.23 ¥191

-11.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.07 ¥27.51

370.52%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.15 ¥41.54

-35.28%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$226 ¥1,528

34.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,894 ¥66.9K

-38.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$21.06 ¥142

176.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.20 ¥204

6.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$74.3 ¥502

35.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$37.80 ¥255

185.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$278 ¥1,881

71.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$190 ¥1,282

98.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$424 ¥2,867

99.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$251 ¥1,694

191.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$5,952 ¥40.2K

-45.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,229 ¥8,302

11.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$585 ¥3,953

5.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.04

232.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jiangmen: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $278 in Jiangmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Jiangmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $180 per month, with Jiangmen cheaper across the board.

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 Jiangmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Jiangmen differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $643 including rent). Jiangmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $278 in Jiangmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $643 in Jiangmen – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jiangmen runs roughly 142% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $643 in Jiangmen versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jiangmen but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Jiangmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Jiangmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.