Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nanning

For one person, living is cheaper in Nanning: $737 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Nanning, China
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Nanning
🇨🇳 China
$737
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Nanning

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 Nanning actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $737 in Nanning, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Nanning $737

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,176 in Nanning, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Nanning $1,176

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,615 in Nanning, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Nanning $1,615

Medellin costs about 122% more than Nanning, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Nanning is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Nanning
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$2.97 ¥19.73
172.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$20.42 ¥136
130.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$5.76 ¥38.31
64.93%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$2.33 ¥15.51
29.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$0.56 ¥3.70
221.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$0.27 ¥1.78
422.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$0.88 ¥5.84
261.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$2.30 ¥15.29
150.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Nanning
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$2.24 ¥14.91
-32.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$2.23 ¥14.86
6.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$1.13 ¥7.54
56.64%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$1.93 ¥12.85
49.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$10.30 ¥68.5
-1.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$3.93 ¥26.14
151.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$17.63 ¥117
-20.65%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$1.89 ¥12.57
110.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$1.31 ¥8.73
18.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$1.52 ¥10.11
43.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$1.68 ¥11.17
29.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$0.97 ¥6.45
102.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$1.21 ¥8.05
31.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$0.57 ¥3.80
101.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$0.63 ¥4.22
96.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$4.07 ¥27.10
-2.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$14.93 ¥99.3
-8.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$0.93 ¥6.22
78.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$1.65 ¥10.96
36.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Nanning
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$0.50 ¥3.30
134.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
$15.90 ¥106
386.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$1.37 ¥9.13
-7.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$0.46 ¥3.09
345.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$7.48 ¥49.76
14.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$1.30 ¥8.62
3.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$23.2K ¥154.6K
46.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$13.2K ¥88.2K
161.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Nanning
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$33.66 ¥224
404.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$14.52 ¥96.6
-6.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$10.84 ¥72.2
158.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Nanning
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$76.0 ¥506
-42.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
$7.43 ¥49.41
131.36%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$6.93 ¥46.14
-0.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Nanning
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$304 ¥2,020
162.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$4,423 ¥29.4K
106.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Nanning
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$19.68 ¥131
330.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$29.48 ¥196
96.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$65.5 ¥436
105.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$72.4 ¥481
35.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Nanning
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$251 ¥1,669
381.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$156 ¥1,036
311.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$388 ¥2,580
422.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$294 ¥1,959
243.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
$3,516 ¥23.4K
18.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$1,577 ¥10.5K
21.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Nanning
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$667 ¥4,438
-1.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.63
201.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Nanning: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Nanning
$156 75.7% $486
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Nanning
$245 17.4% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Nanning
$59 72.1% $152
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Nanning
$81 52.1% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Nanning
$84 50.2% $85
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Nanning
$22 76.9% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Nanning
$90 56.2% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $251 in Nanning. 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 $47 in Medellin versus $20 in Nanning. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $245 – making Nanning the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇨🇳 Nanning
🕒 Local time
14:39 2:39 PM
03:39 3:39 AM
13 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
8,741,584
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.43 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Nanning 16,750 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Nanning

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 Nanning: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nanning cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 122%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,105 in Nanning. 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 Nanning, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $251 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Nanning?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $20 in Nanning. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Nanning?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $737 in Nanning. That makes Nanning about 55% cheaper.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Nanning?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Nanning, where all-in costs run around $737, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Nanning it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Nanning more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nanning – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Nanning is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 55% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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