Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Urumqi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Urumqi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $520 in Urumqi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $833 in Urumqi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,147 in Urumqi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 95% more than Urumqi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Urumqi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Urumqi 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.41 ¥23.07

75.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$19.14 ¥130

71.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.35 ¥36.23

32.52%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.91 ¥19.67

-41.24%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.45 ¥3.05

144.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.22 ¥1.49

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.13 ¥7.65

48.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.66 ¥18.01

15.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.04 ¥7.03

4.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.86 ¥5.79

46.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.36 ¥2.45

283.33%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.49 ¥10.08

46.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.51 ¥37.32

-20.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.05 ¥13.85

174.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.98 ¥67.5

-10.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.78 ¥12.03

31.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.14 ¥7.69

-7.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.40 ¥9.49

7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.59 ¥3.97

133.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.41 ¥2.75

180.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.85 ¥5.78

36.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.72 ¥4.91

23.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.52 ¥3.50

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.26 ¥15.28

0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.15 ¥68.7

4.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.03 ¥6.96

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.77 ¥12.01

39.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.17 ¥1.13

405.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$14.10 ¥95.4

193.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.35 ¥9.13

8.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.35 ¥2.37

460.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.56 ¥51.2

2.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.12 ¥7.58

-15.18%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$22.7K ¥153.3K

-19.97%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$19.3K ¥130.3K

37.57%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$41.24 ¥279

99.44%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.62 ¥38.05

69.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$13.92 ¥94.2

74.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$14.19 ¥96.1

82.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$8.53 ¥57.7

122.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.84 ¥32.77

-18.80%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$169 ¥1,146

82.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,680 ¥52.0K

-22.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$27.30 ¥185

114.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$13.83 ¥93.6

133.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$86.5 ¥585

18.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$27.34 ¥185

296.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$245 ¥1,662

93.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$111 ¥751

241.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$400 ¥2,706

109.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$210 ¥1,422

244.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,823 ¥12.3K

53.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,181 ¥7,991

2.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,171 ¥7,929

-56.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

347.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Urumqi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $245 in Urumqi. 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 129% higher in Urumqi, 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 $19.00 in Urumqi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $148 – making Urumqi 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 Urumqi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $780 in Urumqi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Urumqi, 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 $19.00 in Urumqi. 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 $520 in Urumqi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Urumqi, where all-in costs run around $520, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Urumqi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Urumqi – 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 Urumqi. 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.