Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $695 in Quzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,079 in Quzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $1,463 in Quzhou, rent included.

Medellin costs about 46% more than Quzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Quzhou are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Quzhou 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$2.85 ¥19.48

115.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$14.05 ¥96.0

135.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$4.94 ¥33.76

48.18%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$2.55 ¥17.43

-34.90%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$0.36 ¥2.48

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$0.22 ¥1.50

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$0.68 ¥4.64

151.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$1.64 ¥11.23

93.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$1.43 ¥9.75

-22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$1.93 ¥13.16

-32.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$0.72 ¥4.92

91.67%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$1.70 ¥11.60

30.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$13.27 ¥90.6

-67.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$2.46 ¥16.78

135.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$9.74 ¥66.5

-7.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$2.01 ¥13.73

12.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$1.42 ¥9.70

-21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$1.67 ¥11.38

-12.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$1.25 ¥8.54

9.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$0.72 ¥4.89

54.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$0.68 ¥4.62

70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$0.53 ¥3.63

67.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.41 ¥2.82

112.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$4.29 ¥29.31

-45.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$8.07 ¥55.1

34.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$0.35 ¥2.41

242.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$0.67 ¥4.58

270.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.27 ¥1.84

192.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$16.65 ¥114

144.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$1.12 ¥7.65

26.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$0.42 ¥2.87

354.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.19 ¥42.30

23.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.14 ¥7.77

-14.91%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$19.1K ¥130.6K

-5.32%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$17.2K ¥117.8K

52.58%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$44.57 ¥304

82.43%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$11.43 ¥78.1

-15.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$11.50 ¥78.6

111.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$42.38 ¥289

-38.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$14.18 ¥96.8

33.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$5.62 ¥38.39

-30.78%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$446 ¥3,047

-31.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$16.8K ¥115.1K

-64.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$28.20 ¥193

108.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$28.20 ¥193

15.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$72.6 ¥496

40.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$92.9 ¥634

16.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$281 ¥1,919

68.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$184 ¥1,259

101.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$586 ¥4,003

44.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$365 ¥2,490

96.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$3,399 ¥23.2K

-15.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$2,007 ¥13.7K

-31.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$659 ¥4,499

-17.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.5

283.71%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Quzhou: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $281 in Quzhou. 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 22% higher in Quzhou, 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 $33 in Medellin versus $14 in Quzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $186 – making Quzhou the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Quzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,042 in Quzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quzhou, 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 $14.00 in Quzhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,014 in Medellin and $695 in Quzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quzhou, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Medellin at $1,014. In Quzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quzhou – 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 Quzhou. 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.