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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $717 in Jilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,129 in Jilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,541 in Jilin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 42% more than Jilin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Jilin are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Jilin 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$2.73 ¥18.48

117.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$21.14 ¥143

57.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$4.94 ¥33.42

46.36%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$3.16 ¥21.39

-48.42%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.41 ¥2.76

165.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.22 ¥1.49

231.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$1.09 ¥7.38

59.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$2.13 ¥14.39

51.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.62 ¥11.00

-35.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$1.53 ¥10.36

-15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$0.90 ¥6.11

46.67%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$1.62 ¥10.96

40.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$13.05 ¥88.4

-66.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$3.10 ¥21.01

89.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$10.02 ¥67.8

-14.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$1.74 ¥11.79

29.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.20 ¥8.15

-10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$1.40 ¥9.50

8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$1.14 ¥7.69

24.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$0.67 ¥4.52

74.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$0.97 ¥6.59

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$0.59 ¥4.02

50.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.55 ¥3.71

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$3.09 ¥20.93

-27.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$10.98 ¥74.4

0.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$0.76 ¥5.12

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$1.64 ¥11.13

45.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$0.27 ¥1.82

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$16.47 ¥112

154.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$0.99 ¥6.73

42.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$0.35 ¥2.38

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$6.54 ¥44.31

18.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.13 ¥7.66

-10.62%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$19.3K ¥131.0K

-9.11%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$16.7K ¥113.1K

58.69%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$45.73 ¥310

82.99%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$9.81 ¥66.4

-3.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$11.74 ¥79.5

105.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$41.08 ¥278

-38.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$13.97 ¥94.6

37.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$6.22 ¥42.10

-34.08%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$340 ¥2,304

-8.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$17.0K ¥115.2K

-64.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$42.66 ¥289

36.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$30.97 ¥210

5.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$70.6 ¥478

41.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$74.0 ¥501

46.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$280 ¥1,896

72.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$191 ¥1,291

99.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$601 ¥4,073

39.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$358 ¥2,421

102.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$3,235 ¥21.9K

-12.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$1,531 ¥10.4K

-20.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$451 ¥3,052

20.00%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Jilin: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $280 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 20% 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 – $190 in Medellin vs $195 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 42% 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,076 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 $312 per month in Medellin and $340 in Jilin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $717, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $717 versus $1,017 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.