Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Linfen

For one person, living is cheaper in Linfen: $720 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Linfen
🇨🇳 China
$720
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Linfen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Linfen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $720 in Linfen, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Linfen $720

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $1,205 in Linfen, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Linfen $1,205

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $1,690 in Linfen, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Linfen $1,690

Medellin costs about 124% more than Linfen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Linfen is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Linfen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$2.93 ¥19.59
170.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$22.19 ¥148
107.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$5.20 ¥34.79
82.69%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$3.01 ¥20.12
3.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$0.50 ¥3.36
266.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$0.31 ¥2.08
345.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
$1.03 ¥6.87
196.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
$1.79 ¥11.98
207.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Linfen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$1.86 ¥12.47
-22.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$1.68 ¥11.25
40.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$1.01 ¥6.74
66.34%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$1.68 ¥11.22
70.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$14.22 ¥95.1
-28.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$2.97 ¥19.83
220.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$11.77 ¥78.7
19.29%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$1.62 ¥10.81
151.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$1.18 ¥7.92
27.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$1.51 ¥10.08
43.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$1.39 ¥9.30
66.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$0.71 ¥4.75
171.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$0.97 ¥6.52
69.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$0.57 ¥3.80
98.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$0.54 ¥3.64
131.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$4.04 ¥27.04
-1.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
$11.79 ¥78.9
13.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
$0.94 ¥6.27
80.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
$1.40 ¥9.38
69.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Linfen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
$0.33 ¥2.23
266.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
$15.49 ¥104
393.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
$1.58 ¥10.57
-16.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
$0.33 ¥2.19
548.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
$6.32 ¥42.28
34.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$1.19 ¥7.93
9.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$18.0K ¥120.4K
55.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$18.3K ¥122.1K
93.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Linfen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$57.5 ¥384
199.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$8.82 ¥59.0
51.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$10.96 ¥73.3
162.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Linfen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
$46.28 ¥309
-2.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
$13.78 ¥92.1
23.66%
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$7.26 ¥48.52
-13.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Linfen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$379 ¥2,537
103.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$19.7K ¥131.6K
-54.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Linfen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$44.14 ¥295
95.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$33.84 ¥226
68.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$76.2 ¥509
79.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$76.1 ¥509
28.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Linfen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$330 ¥2,206
219.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$160 ¥1,069
285.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$668 ¥4,468
183.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$429 ¥2,868
138.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$3,350 ¥22.4K
21.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$2,134 ¥14.3K
-21.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Linfen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.36
225.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Linfen: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Linfen
$160 74% $456
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Linfen
$211 28.3% $84
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Linfen
$77 63.9% $137
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Linfen
$104 39.1% $66
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Linfen
$87 48.2% $81
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Linfen
$20 78.5% $73
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Linfen
$61 5.2% $3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $330 in Linfen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Linfen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $211 – making Linfen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇨🇳 Linfen
🕒 Local time
23:37 11:37 PM
12:37 12:37 PM
13 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
617,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Linfen 15,250 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Linfen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Linfen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Linfen cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 124%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $1,080 in Linfen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Linfen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Linfen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $720 in Linfen. That's a gap of about 124%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 394% less in Linfen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Linfen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Linfen, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Linfen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Linfen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Linfen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Linfen. 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.

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