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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,656 per month in Medellin vs $658 in Jinan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Medellin vs $1,093 in Jinan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,216 per month in Medellin vs $1,528 in Jinan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 152% more than Jinan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Jinan is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 25.4K

$2.54 ¥17.08

203.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.79 COP 157.4K

$24.37 ¥164

96.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 COP 30.6K

$5.04 ¥33.86

84.72%

Cappuccino

$3.02 COP 9,944

$2.58 ¥17.30

17.05%

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

$1.79 COP 5,903

$0.48 ¥3.22

272.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 COP 4,933

$0.23 ¥1.54

552.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.7K

$0.94 ¥6.29

245.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.9K

$1.95 ¥13.07

194.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 COP 4,689

$1.57 ¥10.51

-9.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 COP 8,301

$1.48 ¥9.93

70.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,508

$1.23 ¥8.24

35.77%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,290

$1.16 ¥7.79

143.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 COP 33.8K

$11.66 ¥78.3

-12.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 COP 31.2K

$3.19 ¥21.42

196.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 COP 45.8K

$11.00 ¥73.9

26.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 COP 13.6K

$1.98 ¥13.31

108.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 COP 5,126

$1.06 ¥7.10

47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 COP 7,274

$1.89 ¥12.72

16.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 COP 7,444

$1.40 ¥9.40

61.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,542

$0.69 ¥4.64

188.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,860

$0.78 ¥5.24

89.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,778

$0.58 ¥3.86

98.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,093

$0.66 ¥4.45

87.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 13.0K

$3.81 ¥25.59

3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.63 COP 44.9K

$9.98 ¥67.0

36.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 COP 5,511

$0.72 ¥4.85

131.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 COP 9,044

$1.36 ¥9.10

102.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,847

$0.29 ¥1.92

303.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.5 COP 261.9K

$8.87 ¥59.6

796.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,212

$1.84 ¥12.33

-30.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 COP 7,117

$0.29 ¥1.92

644.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 COP 27.3K

$4.58 ¥30.73

80.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,443

$1.23 ¥8.23

9.76%

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

$27.4K COP 90.2M

$19.2K ¥128.8K

42.75%

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

$36.0K COP 118.7M

$14.9K ¥99.7K

142.48%

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

$173 COP 570.1K

$71.2 ¥478

143.07%

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

$13.73 COP 45.2K

$6.58 ¥44.20

108.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.34 COP 93.3K

$5.05 ¥33.90

461.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.27 COP 145.8K

$31.55 ¥212

40.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.63 COP 54.8K

$9.19 ¥61.7

80.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 COP 21.7K

$5.83 ¥39.15

12.86%

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

$799 COP 2.6M

$217 ¥1,460

267.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,089 COP 29.9M

$20.3K ¥136.0K

-55.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 COP 289.4K

$33.38 ¥224

163.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 192.6K

$42.29 ¥284

38.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 455.6K

$71.3 ¥479

93.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 COP 321.0K

$69.9 ¥469

39.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.4M

$255 ¥1,712

305.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.1M

$146 ¥980

342.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 COP 6.1M

$612 ¥4,111

201.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 COP 3.4M

$363 ¥2,433

182.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,108 COP 13.5M

$2,476 ¥16.6K

65.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.5M

$1,319 ¥8,857

27.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 COP 2.1M

$967 ¥6,489

-32.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.13

249.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 22, 2026

Last update for Jinan: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,033 in Medellin versus $255 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 48% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Jinan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $195 – 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 152% 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 $2,484 per month in Medellin and $987 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 $48.00 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 $1,656 in Medellin and $658 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 $658, than in Medellin at $1,656. 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 $658 versus $1,656 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.