Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kunming, Yunnan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kunming, Yunnan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $810 in Kunming, Yunnan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,280 in Kunming, Yunnan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,749 in Kunming, Yunnan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 27% more expensive than in Kunming, Yunnan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kunming, Yunnan 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.82 ¥19.07

118.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$28.40 ¥192

14.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.93 ¥46.85

5.92%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.06 ¥20.70

-43.79%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.47 ¥3.18

123.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.27 ¥1.84

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.37 ¥9.24

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.12 ¥14.36

49.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.97 ¥13.28

-46.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.73 ¥11.72

-24.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.31 ¥8.85

6.87%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.72 ¥11.64

25.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.09 ¥47.91

-38.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.27 ¥28.87

37.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.83 ¥73.2

-20.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.32 ¥8.90

72.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.93 ¥6.26

19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.43 ¥9.64

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.13 ¥7.63

19.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.37 ¥2.47

205.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.85 ¥5.76

32.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.56 ¥10.57

-45.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.61 ¥4.13

49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.11 ¥14.26

10.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.76 ¥45.67

82.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.76 ¥5.11

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.52 ¥10.26

63.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.61 ¥4.11

37.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$34.17 ¥231

18.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.09 ¥7.34

30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.28 ¥1.90

585.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.66 ¥92.3

-43.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.18 ¥7.94

-16.10%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$20.5K ¥138.6K

-12.13%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$17.1K ¥115.4K

55.98%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$50.7 ¥342

59.48%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$15.27 ¥103

-34.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$16.05 ¥108

50.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$70.7 ¥478

-64.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$26.19 ¥177

-26.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.16 ¥41.61

-35.39%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$410 ¥2,768

-25.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$13.0K ¥88.0K

-53.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$70.4 ¥476

-17.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$32.81 ¥222

-1.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$64.2 ¥434

56.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$103 ¥697

4.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$278 ¥1,877

71.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$213 ¥1,438

76.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$508 ¥3,434

66.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$350 ¥2,366

108.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,085 ¥20.8K

4.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,295 ¥8,748

6.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$839 ¥5,669

-26.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.45

201.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kunming, Yunnan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $278 in Kunming, Yunnan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kunming, Yunnan pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $28.00 in Kunming, Yunnan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $185 per month, with Kunming, Yunnan cheaper across the board.

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 Kunming, Yunnan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kunming, Yunnan wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kunming, Yunnan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Kunming, Yunnan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $278 in Kunming, Yunnan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kunming, Yunnan – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $810 in Kunming, Yunnan – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $810 in Kunming, Yunnan versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kunming, Yunnan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kunming, Yunnan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kunming, Yunnan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $810 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kunming, Yunnan hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kunming, Yunnan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.