Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Putian Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Putian

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $709 in Putian, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,135 in Putian, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,562 in Putian, rent included.

Medellin costs about 43% more than Putian, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Putian are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Putian 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$2.06 ¥13.91

190.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$23.34 ¥158

40.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$5.41 ¥36.57

31.05%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$2.82 ¥19.05

-39.36%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$0.41 ¥2.76

168.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.29 ¥1.97

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

$0.68 ¥4.62

147.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.75 ¥18.59

11.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$1.80 ¥12.16

-39.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$2.14 ¥14.45

-41.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$0.78 ¥5.25

76.92%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$1.38 ¥9.35

58.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$11.32 ¥76.6

-61.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$2.30 ¥15.59

144.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$11.35 ¥76.8

-21.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$2.45 ¥16.57

-4.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$1.34 ¥9.07

-20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$1.56 ¥10.55

-3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$1.91 ¥12.93

-27.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$0.89 ¥6.01

29.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$1.71 ¥11.55

-32.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$0.88 ¥5.92

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.51 ¥3.47

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$2.83 ¥19.12

-19.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

$11.23 ¥76.0

-5.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

$0.75 ¥5.04

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

$1.65 ¥11.15

49.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$0.29 ¥1.97

196.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$16.48 ¥111

151.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$1.42 ¥9.62

3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$0.26 ¥1.74

653.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$6.73 ¥45.50

15.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$1.15 ¥7.77

-17.39%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$16.8K ¥113.3K

8.22%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$17.2K ¥116.4K

53.91%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$38.87 ¥263

111.60%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$9.56 ¥64.7

-0.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$11.65 ¥78.8

107.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$41.55 ¥281

-37.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$14.14 ¥95.7

34.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$9.32 ¥63.1

-57.83%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$456 ¥3,083

-32.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$16.9K ¥114.5K

-64.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$43.59 ¥295

34.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$26.55 ¥180

21.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$83.5 ¥565

22.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$79.8 ¥540

35.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$279 ¥1,887

70.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$191 ¥1,290

98.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$602 ¥4,072

39.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$360 ¥2,439

100.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,596 ¥17.6K

7.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$1,805 ¥12.2K

-32.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$463 ¥3,129

10.64%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Putian: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $279 in Putian. 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 11% 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 $23.00 in Putian. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $209 in Putian – 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 Putian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,063 in Putian. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $23.00 in Putian. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $709 in Putian. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Putian, where all-in costs run around $709, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Putian it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Putian – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Putian. 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.