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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $743 in Jilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,167 in Jilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,591 in Jilin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 121% more than Jilin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Jilin is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$2.94 ¥19.72

173.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.1K

$22.52 ¥151

114.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.1K

$5.22 ¥35.01

80.46%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,070

$3.38 ¥22.64

-13.02%

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

$1.86 COP 5,754

$0.42 ¥2.81

342.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,494

$0.27 ¥1.83

440.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,915

$1.08 ¥7.23

197.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.29 ¥15.32

149.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,443

$1.77 ¥11.86

-18.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,413

$1.72 ¥11.53

39.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,245

$1.01 ¥6.78

68.32%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,925

$1.64 ¥10.97

76.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.1K

$13.17 ¥88.2

-23.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.8K

$3.38 ¥22.64

194.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.9K

$10.93 ¥73.3

29.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.88 ¥12.62

111.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,894

$1.25 ¥8.41

26.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,646

$1.60 ¥10.73

34.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,101

$1.31 ¥8.77

75.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,189

$0.75 ¥5.04

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,661

$0.90 ¥6.05

67.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,713

$0.59 ¥3.94

103.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,959

$0.56 ¥3.72

128.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.77 ¥25.28

1.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.3K

$11.67 ¥78.2

20.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,273

$0.83 ¥5.57

106.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,468

$1.55 ¥10.38

76.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,847

$0.31 ¥2.11

303.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 240.5K

$17.50 ¥117

345.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,030

$1.07 ¥7.17

22.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,702

$0.24 ¥1.60

804.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.6K

$7.12 ¥47.73

16.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,186

$1.26 ¥8.43

7.94%

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

$27.5K COP 84.8M

$19.0K ¥127.5K

44.46%

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

$36.5K COP 112.8M

$17.3K ¥115.8K

111.51%

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

$169 COP 521.0K

$54.2 ¥363

211.41%

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

$13.57 COP 41.9K

$8.73 ¥58.5

55.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.5K

$11.27 ¥75.6

151.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.1K

$41.12 ¥276

11.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.2K

$15.04 ¥101

14.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$6.14 ¥41.13

8.31%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$418 ¥2,803

92.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.4M

$16.5K ¥110.9K

-44.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.7K

$41.72 ¥280

109.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 183.3K

$32.71 ¥219

81.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 428.9K

$75.4 ¥505

84.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 315.1K

$74.0 ¥496

37.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$290 ¥1,946

268.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$180 ¥1,207

262.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$608 ¥4,077

216.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$372 ¥2,491

181.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$3,185 ¥21.3K

29.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,938 ¥13.0K

-12.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$447 ¥2,996

46.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.38

223.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Jilin: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $290 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 47% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Jilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $208 – making Jilin 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 Jilin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 121% more than Jilin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,115 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 $803 per month in Medellin and $418 in Jilin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jilin, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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 $743 versus $1,641 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.