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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $708 in Longyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,125 in Longyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,542 in Longyan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 42% more than Longyan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Longyan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Longyan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.4K

$2.85 ¥19.24

107.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 102.7K

$21.07 ¥142

56.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.1K

$5.41 ¥36.48

37.34%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$2.03 ¥13.67

-18.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,432

$0.51 ¥3.41

115.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,433

$0.27 ¥1.80

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

$1.05 ¥7.08

63.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

$1.51 ¥10.21

110.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,439

$1.88 ¥12.69

-41.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,921

$1.37 ¥9.26

-8.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,304

$0.67 ¥4.48

105.97%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,788

$1.33 ¥8.98

63.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.0K

$10.99 ¥74.1

-59.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.0K

$2.27 ¥15.31

155.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 27.9K

$11.30 ¥76.2

-20.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,232

$2.44 ¥16.46

-4.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,318

$1.32 ¥8.90

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,725

$1.50 ¥10.09

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,226

$1.84 ¥12.43

-26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,515

$0.94 ¥6.36

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.65 ¥11.12

-29.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,809

$0.82 ¥5.54

9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,794

$0.51 ¥3.44

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 6,961

$2.82 ¥19.02

-20.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

$24.16 ¥163

-49.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

$0.78 ¥5.27

52.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

$1.59 ¥10.72

55.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,660

$0.27 ¥1.79

214.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 129.7K

$16.38 ¥110

154.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,413

$1.42 ¥9.55

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,078

$0.28 ¥1.89

596.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.6K

$6.80 ¥45.85

16.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,086

$1.18 ¥7.96

-16.10%

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

$17.6K COP 54.8M

$16.3K ¥110.1K

7.81%

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

$26.8K COP 83.5M

$17.7K ¥119.0K

51.76%

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

$83.0 COP 258.7K

$38.84 ¥262

113.72%

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

$9.70 COP 30.2K

$10.06 ¥67.8

-3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 73.3K

$11.60 ¥78.2

102.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 78.7K

$41.94 ¥283

-39.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 59.5K

$13.70 ¥92.3

39.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.3K

$6.78 ¥45.71

-41.74%

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

$316 COP 984.0K

$464 ¥3,125

-31.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.6M

$17.2K ¥115.7K

-65.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 187.0K

$28.12 ¥190

113.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 99.1K

$14.09 ¥95.0

125.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 316.8K

$69.9 ¥471

45.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 334.8K

$79.4 ¥535

35.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$279 ¥1,879

70.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$187 ¥1,262

99.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.6M

$591 ¥3,982

43.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.2M

$357 ¥2,410

101.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,312 ¥8,846

9.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 1.9M

$490 ¥3,301

27.51%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Longyan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $279 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 28% 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 $21.00 in Longyan. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $225 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $708 in Longyan – roughly 42% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,062 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 154% less in Longyan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $316 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 $708, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $708 in Longyan to $1,003 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.