Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jilin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jilin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $721 in Jilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,133 in Jilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $1,545 in Jilin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Jilin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Jilin are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Jilin 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 18.9K

$2.71 ¥18.32

118.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 105.7K

$21.21 ¥143

56.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.7K

$4.69 ¥31.65

51.81%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,444

$3.23 ¥21.81

-47.06%

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

$1.05 COP 3,348

$0.43 ¥2.92

144.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,306

$0.20 ¥1.35

260.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,488

$1.12 ¥7.57

53.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.1K

$2.12 ¥14.35

49.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,400

$1.70 ¥11.48

-37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,182

$1.60 ¥10.81

-18.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,246

$0.96 ¥6.50

38.54%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,281

$1.58 ¥10.66

44.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$13.08 ¥88.3

-66.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$3.23 ¥21.80

83.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.6K

$10.15 ¥68.6

-14.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,486

$1.79 ¥12.07

30.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,518

$1.19 ¥8.07

-7.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,687

$1.37 ¥9.27

7.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,405

$1.12 ¥7.58

23.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,745

$0.67 ¥4.51

74.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,735

$0.93 ¥6.26

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,883

$0.60 ¥4.04

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$0.51 ¥3.43

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,431

$3.20 ¥21.65

-27.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.0K

$12.09 ¥81.6

-1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,665

$0.75 ¥5.05

53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,730

$1.59 ¥10.77

52.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,681

$0.29 ¥1.98

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.3K

$16.82 ¥114

142.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,506

$0.95 ¥6.42

48.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,112

$0.32 ¥2.19

496.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$6.62 ¥44.73

18.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,013

$1.13 ¥7.64

-16.81%

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

$17.8K COP 56.9M

$19.0K ¥128.6K

-6.43%

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

$27.1K COP 86.5M

$16.9K ¥113.8K

60.72%

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

$83.3 COP 265.8K

$46.11 ¥311

80.57%

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

$9.66 COP 30.8K

$10.00 ¥67.5

-3.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.3K

$11.34 ¥76.6

113.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.5K

$42.29 ¥286

-40.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.7K

$14.18 ¥95.8

36.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$6.29 ¥42.51

-35.29%

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

$307 COP 978.8K

$333 ¥2,246

-7.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$16.9K ¥114.2K

-64.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$42.75 ¥289

40.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.2K

$30.36 ¥205

7.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 322.7K

$71.2 ¥481

42.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 344.9K

$75.0 ¥506

44.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$278 ¥1,879

71.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$186 ¥1,259

103.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$589 ¥3,976

38.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$364 ¥2,460

94.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$2,714 ¥18.3K

17.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,821 ¥12.3K

-20.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$438 ¥2,956

42.08%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Jilin: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $278 in Jilin. 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 42% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Jilin. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Medellin vs $200 in Jilin – 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 Jilin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 41% more than Jilin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,082 in Jilin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Medellin and $333 in Jilin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jilin, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Jilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jilin costs $721 versus $1,018 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 Jilin. 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.