Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Longyan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Longyan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $455 in Longyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $753 in Longyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,052 in Longyan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 269% more than Longyan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Longyan is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

$3.03 ¥20.32

164.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 148.7K

$21.97 ¥147

117.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

$5.23 ¥35.04

89.10%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,724

$2.25 ¥15.06

39.11%

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

$1.91 COP 5,928

$0.49 ¥3.27

289.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

$0.27 ¥1.79

459.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

$0.85 ¥5.70

267.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.67 ¥11.22

244.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,489

$2.07 ¥13.87

-30.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,725

$1.46 ¥9.81

70.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,510

$0.71 ¥4.75

149.30%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,195

$1.51 ¥10.14

96.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

$7.33 ¥49.14

37.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

$2.96 ¥19.83

241.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

$9.26 ¥62.1

54.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.8K

$1.86 ¥12.47

122.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

$1.31 ¥8.79

22.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,976

$1.70 ¥11.37

32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,997

$1.12 ¥7.48

100.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,347

$0.85 ¥5.67

140.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,769

$0.99 ¥6.60

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,635

$0.43 ¥2.89

172.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,059

$0.52 ¥3.51

151.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.1K

$3.26 ¥21.87

19.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$12.10 ¥81.1

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,415

$0.77 ¥5.14

125.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,917

$1.16 ¥7.77

147.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

$0.13 ¥0.86

838.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,066

$1.06 ¥7.11

23.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

$0.47 ¥3.13

365.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

$7.61 ¥51.0

14.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,241

$1.22 ¥8.14

12.30%

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

$19.4K ¥129.9K

43.54%

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

$35.8K COP 111.1M

$15.3K ¥102.6K

133.57%

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

$177 COP 550.8K

$65.1 ¥436

172.22%

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

$13.88 COP 43.1K

$15.70 ¥105

-11.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.4K

$9.09 ¥60.9

226.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

$4.51 ¥30.21

279.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$7.29 ¥48.86

-8.78%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$208 ¥1,395

290.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

$11.9K ¥79.5K

-22.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.0K

$29.86 ¥200

199.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

$14.78 ¥99.0

298.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

$75.7 ¥507

82.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

$95.9 ¥643

6.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$376 ¥2,516

402.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,321 ¥8,849

26.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$499 ¥3,341

35.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.22

239.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Longyan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 36% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Longyan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $181 – making Longyan 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 Longyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $455 in Longyan – roughly 269% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $683 in Longyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $22.00 in Longyan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Longyan, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Longyan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $455 in Longyan to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Longyan. 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.