Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Xiamen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Xiamen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $845 in Xiamen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,331 in Xiamen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,817 in Xiamen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 94% more than Xiamen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Xiamen is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.0K

$3.02 ¥20.26

166.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 150.0K

$23.10 ¥155

109.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.3K

$5.26 ¥35.22

79.09%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,127

$2.47 ¥16.53

19.03%

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

$1.86 COP 5,790

$0.45 ¥3.03

313.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,522

$0.33 ¥2.19

342.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,977

$1.45 ¥9.72

121.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$2.89 ¥19.36

97.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,471

$1.47 ¥9.86

-2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,460

$2.34 ¥15.66

2.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,278

$0.97 ¥6.47

75.26%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,982

$1.58 ¥10.58

82.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$11.97 ¥80.2

-15.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.0K

$2.55 ¥17.11

290.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.1K

$11.81 ¥79.1

20.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$2.55 ¥17.09

56.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,925

$1.44 ¥9.62

9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,688

$1.68 ¥11.26

27.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,146

$1.99 ¥13.35

15.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,228

$1.04 ¥6.95

92.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,691

$1.81 ¥12.15

-16.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,737

$0.91 ¥6.10

31.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,984

$0.50 ¥3.36

156.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$3.01 ¥20.19

27.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$11.10 ¥74.4

26.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,307

$0.81 ¥5.41

111.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,521

$1.72 ¥11.54

59.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,871

$0.17 ¥1.13

635.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 242.1K

$12.14 ¥81.3

541.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,055

$1.45 ¥9.72

-9.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,745

$0.29 ¥1.92

648.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

$7.29 ¥48.86

13.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,212

$1.20 ¥8.06

13.33%

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

$27.5K COP 85.4M

$19.7K ¥131.9K

39.46%

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

$36.5K COP 113.5M

$17.3K ¥115.7K

111.55%

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

$169 COP 524.3K

$44.39 ¥297

280.09%

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

$13.57 COP 42.2K

$8.85 ¥59.3

53.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 88.0K

$10.17 ¥68.1

178.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 142.0K

$46.59 ¥312

-1.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

$10.49 ¥70.3

64.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$9.99 ¥66.9

-33.43%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$491 ¥3,288

63.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.6M

$24.8K ¥166.0K

-62.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.4K

$38.53 ¥258

126.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.5K

$29.42 ¥197

101.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.6K

$106 ¥712

30.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.0K

$85.0 ¥569

20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$351 ¥2,354

204.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$261 ¥1,745

150.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$839 ¥5,621

129.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$540 ¥3,616

94.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$8,573 ¥57.4K

-51.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$4,680 ¥31.3K

-63.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,150 ¥7,700

-43.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.46

216.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Xiamen: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $351 in Xiamen. 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 76% higher in Xiamen, 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 $23.00 in Xiamen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $217 – making Xiamen 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 Xiamen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 94%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,267 in Xiamen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Xiamen, 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 $23.00 in Xiamen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $845 in Xiamen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Xiamen, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Xiamen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Xiamen – 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 Xiamen. 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.