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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $699 in Jilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,119 in Jilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $1,539 in Jilin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 45% more than Jilin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Jilin are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Jilin 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.1K

$2.85 ¥19.45

115.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.0K

$21.10 ¥144

56.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$4.74 ¥32.34

54.43%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,973

$3.27 ¥22.32

-49.24%

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

$1.10 COP 3,978

$0.44 ¥2.99

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,816

$0.22 ¥1.50

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,174

$1.14 ¥7.80

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.4K

$2.10 ¥14.36

50.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,003

$1.70 ¥11.59

-34.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,709

$1.55 ¥10.58

-15.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,969

$0.91 ¥6.18

51.65%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,992

$1.64 ¥11.18

35.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.6K

$12.60 ¥86.1

-65.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$3.06 ¥20.92

89.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.3K

$10.36 ¥70.8

-13.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,146

$1.75 ¥11.94

29.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,014

$1.20 ¥8.16

-7.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,273

$1.37 ¥9.33

6.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,918

$1.12 ¥7.67

22.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,000

$0.69 ¥4.70

60.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,190

$0.96 ¥6.59

20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,204

$0.60 ¥4.07

48.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,117

$0.54 ¥3.70

61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,476

$3.09 ¥21.07

-23.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.1K

$10.27 ¥70.1

5.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,321

$0.81 ¥5.52

48.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,927

$1.64 ¥11.20

51.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,836

$0.27 ¥1.84

192.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 146.8K

$16.88 ¥115

141.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,125

$1.01 ¥6.90

40.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,885

$0.32 ¥2.21

496.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.60 ¥45.09

15.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,482

$1.16 ¥7.94

-16.38%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$19.6K ¥133.9K

-7.71%

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

$26.3K COP 94.8M

$16.4K ¥111.9K

60.63%

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

$81.3 COP 292.9K

$46.28 ¥316

75.69%

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

$9.63 COP 34.7K

$9.97 ¥68.1

-3.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 87.8K

$11.35 ¥77.5

114.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.7K

$41.92 ¥286

-37.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.1K

$14.04 ¥95.9

34.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$6.44 ¥43.99

-39.60%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$339 ¥2,318

-10.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$17.0K ¥115.9K

-65.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.4K

$43.08 ¥294

36.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.0K

$30.15 ¥206

7.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 366.5K

$72.8 ¥497

39.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$74.4 ¥508

45.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$282 ¥1,929

67.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$187 ¥1,280

97.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$581 ¥3,970

45.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$359 ¥2,450

99.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.3M

$3,250 ¥22.2K

-11.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$2,129 ¥14.5K

-35.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$447 ¥3,056

21.02%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Jilin: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $282 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 21% 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 in Medellin versus $21 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 45% 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,049 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 $304 per month in Medellin and $339 in Jilin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $699, than in Medellin at $1,014. 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 $699 versus $1,014 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.