Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,108 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,752 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,397 in Shenzhen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 52% more than Shenzhen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Shenzhen is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.68 ¥24.65

117.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$29.95 ¥201

59.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.13 ¥34.35

92.79%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.26 ¥21.81

-3.99%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.58 ¥3.86

229.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.35 ¥2.37

331.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.45 ¥9.72

115.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.27 ¥15.23

153.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.63 ¥10.91

-11.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.86 ¥12.47

33.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.22 ¥8.16

45.08%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.72 ¥11.55

72.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$21.88 ¥147

-53.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.60 ¥24.12

181.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.34 ¥96.0

-0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.25 ¥15.06

84.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.59 ¥10.63

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.88 ¥12.61

19.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.48 ¥9.90

52.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.23 ¥8.23

65.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.48 ¥9.90

4.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.58 ¥3.88

101.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.54 ¥3.62

142.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.40 ¥29.50

-11.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$12.74 ¥85.3

9.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.98 ¥6.59

77.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.81 ¥12.15

58.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.63 ¥4.19

93.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$22.30 ¥149

260.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.46 ¥9.79

-10.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.37 ¥2.51

491.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$7.09 ¥47.50

22.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.31 ¥8.77

4.58%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$19.4K ¥129.7K

43.73%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$18.4K ¥123.2K

94.44%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$62.1 ¥416

185.42%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$10.07 ¥67.5

37.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$14.91 ¥99.9

99.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$48.67 ¥326

-7.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$16.94 ¥113

1.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.48 ¥50.1

-11.10%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$535 ¥3,581

52.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$24.0K ¥160.9K

-61.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$49.75 ¥333

79.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$39.48 ¥264

49.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$69.8 ¥467

98.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$87.5 ¥586

16.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$752 ¥5,037

41.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$465 ¥3,117

42.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,819 ¥12.2K

3.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$862 ¥5,774

19.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$13.1K ¥88.0K

-68.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$6,442 ¥43.2K

-74.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,732 ¥11.6K

-60.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.4

221.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $752 in Shenzhen. 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 156% higher in Shenzhen, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Shenzhen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $258 – making Shenzhen 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 Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 52%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,662 in Shenzhen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shenzhen, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $30.00 in Shenzhen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,108 in Shenzhen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shenzhen, where all-in costs run around $1,108, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Shenzhen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shenzhen – 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 Shenzhen. 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.