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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $722 in Longyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,130 in Longyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,538 in Longyan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Longyan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Longyan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Longyan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.75 ¥18.63

116.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$20.49 ¥139

62.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.54 ¥37.43

30.51%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.03 ¥13.74

-19.70%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.51 ¥3.47

113.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.29 ¥1.97

151.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.05 ¥7.13

65.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.57 ¥10.59

105.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.86 ¥12.59

-43.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.43 ¥9.65

-9.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.67 ¥4.50

97.01%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.37 ¥9.29

65.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.25 ¥76.1

-61.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.27 ¥15.37

159.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.02 ¥74.5

-21.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.43 ¥16.42

-7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.40 ¥9.45

-23.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.51 ¥10.21

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.93 ¥13.02

-26.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.90 ¥6.06

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.71 ¥11.56

-31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.83 ¥5.60

7.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.55 ¥3.72

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.74 ¥18.52

-17.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$24.62 ¥166

-55.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.75 ¥5.06

52.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.60 ¥10.81

48.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.27 ¥1.82

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$16.82 ¥114

149.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.35 ¥9.13

4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.26 ¥1.74

630.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.62 ¥44.77

17.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.18 ¥7.99

-14.41%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$16.2K ¥109.6K

8.51%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$17.3K ¥116.9K

53.31%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$38.70 ¥262

116.23%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.58 ¥64.8

-1.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$11.64 ¥78.7

107.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$41.99 ¥284

-39.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$14.12 ¥95.5

35.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.08 ¥47.87

-42.09%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$464 ¥3,138

-32.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$17.2K ¥116.1K

-65.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$28.36 ¥192

104.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$13.77 ¥93.1

136.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$69.8 ¥472

42.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$81.0 ¥548

33.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$274 ¥1,854

75.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$186 ¥1,259

103.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$595 ¥4,025

40.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$364 ¥2,459

98.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,025 ¥20.5K

-6.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,808 ¥12.2K

-32.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$479 ¥3,236

13.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.56

277.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Longyan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $274 in Longyan. 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 13% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Longyan. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $228 in Longyan – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,017 in Medellin, $722 in Longyan – roughly 41% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,084 in Longyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Longyan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 149% less in Longyan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $464 in Longyan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Longyan, where all-in costs run around $722, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $722 in Longyan to $1,017 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.