Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qingdao, Shandong

For one person, living is cheaper in Qingdao, Shandong: $773 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Qingdao, Shandong
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Qingdao, Shandong Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Qingdao, Shandong

🇨🇳 China

$773

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Qingdao, Shandong

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

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $773 in Qingdao, Shandong, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Qingdao, Shandong $773

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,221 in Qingdao, Shandong, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Qingdao, Shandong $1,221

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,669 in Qingdao, Shandong, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Qingdao, Shandong $1,669

Medellin costs about 112% more than Qingdao, Shandong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Qingdao, Shandong is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 25.4K

$3.04 ¥20.27

166.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 148.0K

$18.01 ¥120

161.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 29.9K

$4.41 ¥29.41

115.42%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,485

$2.71 ¥18.04

11.07%

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

$1.80 COP 5,660

$0.54 ¥3.59

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,443

$0.32 ¥2.14

340.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 9,990

$1.05 ¥6.99

202.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.63 ¥17.53

118.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,751

$1.92 ¥12.80

-21.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,480

$1.41 ¥9.42

68.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,573

$1.00 ¥6.65

77.00%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,093

$1.33 ¥8.88

117.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.1K

$16.57 ¥110

-38.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.1K

$4.24 ¥28.24

132.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 44.0K

$9.62 ¥64.1

45.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.5K

$1.40 ¥9.34

183.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,883

$1.14 ¥7.58

35.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,867

$1.71 ¥11.43

27.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,870

$1.26 ¥8.43

73.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,174

$0.68 ¥4.55

188.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,000

$0.98 ¥6.51

62.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,604

$1.00 ¥6.69

15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,911

$0.61 ¥4.04

103.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.5K

$3.85 ¥25.64

2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 43.0K

$14.83 ¥98.9

-7.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,222

$1.03 ¥6.88

61.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,104

$1.56 ¥10.42

44.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,674

$0.29 ¥1.91

303.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 243.4K

$17.97 ¥120

330.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 3,989

$1.46 ¥9.72

-13.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,442

$0.41 ¥2.75

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 26.9K

$9.14 ¥60.9

-6.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,237

$1.26 ¥8.43

7.14%

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

$34.1K COP 107.2M

$19.6K ¥130.4K

74.12%

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

$34.7K COP 109.1M

$17.4K ¥115.7K

99.66%

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

$170 COP 533.7K

$69.3 ¥462

144.88%

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

$13.55 COP 42.6K

$6.65 ¥44.35

103.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 88.3K

$7.64 ¥50.9

267.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 137.5K

$21.14 ¥141

106.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 54.1K

$17.67 ¥118

-2.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 21.7K

$6.29 ¥41.96

9.86%

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

$797 COP 2.5M

$364 ¥2,427

118.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 28.7M

$17.9K ¥119.4K

-49.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 266.5K

$52.8 ¥352

60.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 182.3K

$48.91 ¥326

18.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 424.6K

$94.5 ¥630

42.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 307.9K

$90.6 ¥604

8.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.8M

$340 ¥2,263

255.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.0M

$197 ¥1,313

225.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.4M

$769 ¥5,126

163.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.2M

$401 ¥2,675

152.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.1M

$3,272 ¥21.8K

27.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.0M

$2,096 ¥14.0K

-8.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$1,220 ¥8,134

-46.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.37

224.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Qingdao, Shandong: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Qingdao, Shandong

$197 25.5% 69.3% $445

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Qingdao, Shandong

$223 28.8% 25% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Qingdao, Shandong

$84 10.8% 60.4% $128

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Qingdao, Shandong

$84 10.9% 50.5% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Qingdao, Shandong

$129 16.7% 23.6% $40

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Qingdao, Shandong

$23 2.9% 75.8% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Qingdao, Shandong

$34 4.4% 41.4% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $340 in Qingdao, Shandong. 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 86% higher in Qingdao, Shandong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $18 in Qingdao, Shandong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $223 – making Qingdao, Shandong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇳 Qingdao, Shandong

🕒 Local time

07:02 7:02 AM

20:02 8:02 PM

13 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

10,071,722

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.18 USD

10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.135 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,501 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 6.67 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.42 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin Qingdao, Shandong 15,020 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Qingdao, Shandong

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 Qingdao, Shandong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 112%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,159 in Qingdao, Shandong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qingdao, Shandong, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $340 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $18 in Qingdao, Shandong. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $773 in Qingdao, Shandong. That’s a gap of about 112%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qingdao, Shandong, where all-in costs run around $773, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Qingdao, Shandong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Qingdao, Shandong is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 112% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.