Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kaifeng Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kaifeng

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $704 in Kaifeng.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,103 in Kaifeng.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,501 in Kaifeng.

Living in Medellin is roughly 42% more expensive than in Kaifeng, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Kaifeng 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$2.77 ¥18.73

113.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$14.19 ¥95.8

132.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$4.26 ¥28.80

74.41%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.11 ¥14.25

-21.80%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.47 ¥3.14

134.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.22 ¥1.49

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.10 ¥7.41

56.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.04 ¥13.75

55.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.85 ¥12.48

-40.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.55 ¥10.48

-18.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$0.90 ¥6.07

53.33%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.63 ¥11.03

33.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$13.03 ¥88.0

-65.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.24 ¥21.89

78.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$10.25 ¥69.2

-12.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.80 ¥12.14

28.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.22 ¥8.22

-13.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$0.60 ¥4.05

153.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.10 ¥7.43

23.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.73 ¥4.91

54.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.98 ¥6.64

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.60 ¥4.07

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.55 ¥3.72

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$3.08 ¥20.82

-27.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$14.80 ¥100.0

-18.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$0.79 ¥5.33

50.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.59 ¥10.72

55.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.27 ¥1.81

214.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$17.01 ¥115

144.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.41 ¥9.51

0.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.35 ¥2.37

457.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$6.50 ¥43.88

21.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.18 ¥7.97

-16.10%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$19.7K ¥133.2K

-10.74%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$16.8K ¥113.8K

59.07%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$45.23 ¥306

83.53%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$9.87 ¥66.7

-1.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$11.35 ¥76.7

107.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$41.93 ¥283

-39.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$13.69 ¥92.5

39.52%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.14 ¥41.46

-35.67%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$338 ¥2,285

-6.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$17.2K ¥116.5K

-65.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$44.21 ¥299

35.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$30.93 ¥209

2.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$72.0 ¥486

41.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$74.8 ¥505

43.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$280 ¥1,893

69.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$189 ¥1,273

98.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$600 ¥4,053

41.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$355 ¥2,398

102.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$574 ¥3,876

8.83%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kaifeng: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $280 in Kaifeng. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $14.00 in Kaifeng. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $204, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kaifeng: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaifeng wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kaifeng the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $280 in Kaifeng. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kaifeng – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $704 in Kaifeng – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $704 in Kaifeng versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kaifeng but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kaifeng the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kaifeng delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $704 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kaifeng hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kaifeng gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.