Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jiaxing Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jiaxing

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $639 in Jiaxing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,087 in Jiaxing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,535 in Jiaxing, rent included.

Medellin costs about 61% more than Jiaxing, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Jiaxing are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Jiaxing 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.78 ¥18.78

121.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$20.62 ¥139

58.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.85 ¥32.78

51.34%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.15 ¥21.26

-45.40%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.42 ¥2.82

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.24 ¥1.61

220.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.72 ¥4.84

134.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.76 ¥11.88

80.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.32 ¥15.68

-54.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.93 ¥13.02

-32.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.58 ¥3.92

141.38%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.53 ¥10.35

41.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.09 ¥47.93

-38.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.85 ¥19.29

106.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.18 ¥62.0

-5.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.56 ¥10.55

46.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.23 ¥8.32

-9.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.14 ¥7.72

34.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.15 ¥7.76

17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.60 ¥4.04

88.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.93 ¥6.25

21.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.88 ¥5.96

-3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.61 ¥4.09

49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.40 ¥22.97

-31.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.85 ¥73.3

14.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.68 ¥4.61

76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.45 ¥9.82

71.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.29 ¥1.99

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$15.19 ¥103

167.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.09 ¥7.39

30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.35 ¥2.38

448.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.10 ¥47.99

7.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.16 ¥7.83

-14.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$17.3K ¥116.7K

4.44%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$14.3K ¥96.4K

86.74%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$34.65 ¥234

133.22%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.91 ¥73.7

-8.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$4.75 ¥32.10

409.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$34.89 ¥236

-28.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.91 ¥46.67

177.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.50 ¥37.14

-27.64%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$406 ¥2,741

-24.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$11.8K ¥80.0K

-48.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$43.20 ¥292

34.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$33.42 ¥226

-3.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$68.2 ¥461

47.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$81.9 ¥554

31.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$260 ¥1,755

83.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$167 ¥1,130

124.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$713 ¥4,820

18.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$410 ¥2,770

78.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,287 ¥29.0K

-25.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,994 ¥13.5K

-31.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$801 ¥5,414

-23.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.87

247.03%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jiaxing: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $260 in Jiaxing. 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 30% higher in Jiaxing, 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 $21.00 in Jiaxing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $182 – making Jiaxing 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 Jiaxing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 61% more than Jiaxing, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $958 in Jiaxing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 167% less in Jiaxing. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $406 in Jiaxing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jiaxing, where all-in costs run around $639, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Jiaxing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jiaxing costs $639 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Jiaxing. 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.