Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shenyang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shenyang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $658 in Shenyang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,062 in Shenyang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,465 in Shenyang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 52% more than Shenyang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Shenyang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Shenyang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.76 ¥18.66

114.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$20.70 ¥140

59.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.93 ¥33.25

50.71%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.65 ¥17.90

-37.74%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.49 ¥3.30

124.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.38 ¥2.54

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$0.81 ¥5.49

112.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.13 ¥14.40

49.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.96 ¥13.20

-43.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.91 ¥12.87

-34.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.04 ¥6.99

32.69%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.11 ¥7.49

96.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.90 ¥66.8

-54.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.92 ¥19.68

98.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.03 ¥81.2

-25.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.44 ¥9.75

61.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.03 ¥6.94

2.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.83 ¥5.60

83.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.22 ¥8.21

11.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.50 ¥3.38

126.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.65 ¥4.38

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.43 ¥2.92

109.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.62 ¥4.17

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.05 ¥20.60

-26.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$16.94 ¥114

-28.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.71 ¥4.80

67.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$0.97 ¥6.52

155.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.36 ¥2.45

136.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$11.91 ¥80.4

249.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.23 ¥8.29

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.26 ¥1.74

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.52 ¥23.74

124.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.19 ¥8.05

-16.81%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$17.8K ¥120.4K

-1.34%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$18.6K ¥125.8K

43.83%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$66.5 ¥449

24.86%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$14.79 ¥99.9

-34.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$13.85 ¥93.5

69.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$21.13 ¥143

19.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$6.16 ¥41.57

210.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.98 ¥33.60

-20.68%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$462 ¥3,117

-31.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$24.4K ¥164.7K

-75.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$49.34 ¥333

21.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$31.93 ¥216

-0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$72.9 ¥492

39.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$78.2 ¥528

37.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$230 ¥1,555

106.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$144 ¥973

159.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$513 ¥3,464

65.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$340 ¥2,294

111.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,253 ¥15.2K

44.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,305 ¥8,807

10.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$959 ¥6,475

-34.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.27

154.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shenyang: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $230 in Shenyang. 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 54% higher in Shenyang, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Shenyang. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $202 in Shenyang – 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 Shenyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 52%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $987 in Shenyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shenyang, 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 $21.00 in Shenyang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $658 in Shenyang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shenyang, where all-in costs run around $658, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Shenyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shenyang – 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 Shenyang. 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.