Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jinan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jinan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,618 per month in Medellin vs $644 in Jinan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,460 per month in Medellin vs $1,044 in Jinan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,302 per month in Medellin vs $1,444 in Jinan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 151% more than Jinan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Jinan is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.2K

$2.20 ¥14.79

249.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 COP 136.5K

$23.99 ¥162

80.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.0K

$5.00 ¥33.66

90.00%

Cappuccino

$2.81 COP 8,857

$2.30 ¥15.53

22.17%

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

$1.84 COP 5,786

$0.43 ¥2.87

327.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,751

$0.21 ¥1.41

619.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 COP 9,723

$0.89 ¥6.02

246.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 COP 17.3K

$2.03 ¥13.68

170.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,238

$1.77 ¥11.95

-24.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 COP 7,268

$1.46 ¥9.83

58.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,632

$1.23 ¥8.30

19.51%

Eggs

$2.69 COP 8,473

$1.18 ¥7.94

127.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 COP 28.0K

$11.68 ¥78.7

-24.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 COP 33.5K

$3.21 ¥21.60

231.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 COP 45.6K

$10.91 ¥73.5

32.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$2.07 ¥13.91

81.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,372

$1.08 ¥7.31

28.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,005

$1.86 ¥12.53

19.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 COP 6,243

$1.39 ¥9.37

42.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,478

$0.69 ¥4.62

197.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,044

$0.75 ¥5.05

113.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,284

$0.53 ¥3.57

96.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 COP 4,000

$0.66 ¥4.43

92.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$3.74 ¥25.18

0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 COP 41.3K

$10.18 ¥68.6

28.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,970

$0.65 ¥4.36

143.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 COP 9,518

$1.31 ¥8.85

130.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,682

$0.31 ¥2.10

277.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 239.5K

$8.83 ¥59.5

760.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,738

$1.75 ¥11.82

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.32 ¥2.18

553.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 COP 25.5K

$4.49 ¥30.24

80.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 3,980

$1.22 ¥8.22

3.28%

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

$26.9K COP 84.8M

$19.1K ¥128.6K

40.89%

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

$34.9K COP 110.0M

$15.1K ¥101.7K

131.05%

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

$148 COP 467.6K

$72.9 ¥491

103.58%

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

$13.03 COP 41.1K

$6.68 ¥45.00

95.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.48 COP 99.2K

$4.99 ¥33.60

530.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 COP 143.4K

$31.12 ¥210

46.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 COP 53.6K

$8.94 ¥60.2

90.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 COP 19.9K

$5.78 ¥38.92

9.34%

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

$837 COP 2.6M

$216 ¥1,455

287.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 27.3M

$20.1K ¥135.2K

-56.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 279.9K

$33.14 ¥223

167.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 COP 173.2K

$42.82 ¥288

28.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 423.9K

$69.5 ¥468

93.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 341.5K

$68.7 ¥463

57.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 COP 3.0M

$232 ¥1,563

304.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.0M

$135 ¥913

376.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.1M

$560 ¥3,775

246.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.5M

$338 ¥2,278

233.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.5M

$2,369 ¥16.0K

53.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 4.9M

$1,273 ¥8,573

22.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

$960 ¥6,469

-34.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

3.13

233.23%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Last update for Jinan: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Medellin versus $232 in Jinan. 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 53% higher in Jinan, 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 $43.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Jinan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $197 – making Jinan 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 Jinan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 151% more than Jinan, 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 $2,427 per month in Medellin and $965 in Jinan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Medellin and $24.00 in Jinan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,618 in Medellin and $644 in Jinan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jinan, where all-in costs run around $644, than in Medellin at $1,618. In Jinan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jinan costs $644 versus $1,618 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 Jinan. 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.