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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $782 in Xiamen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,265 in Xiamen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,748 in Xiamen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 32% more than Xiamen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Xiamen are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Xiamen 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.73 ¥18.73

116.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$23.25 ¥159

40.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.43 ¥37.21

32.60%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.84 ¥19.44

-40.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.50 ¥3.43

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.29 ¥1.97

148.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.37 ¥9.40

21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.38 ¥23.16

-8.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.79 ¥12.24

-40.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.06 ¥14.14

-39.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.80 ¥5.50

73.75%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.40 ¥9.56

61.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.99 ¥75.3

-60.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.35 ¥16.11

148.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.05 ¥75.7

-20.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.35 ¥16.07

-4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.32 ¥9.06

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.52 ¥10.41

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.84 ¥12.57

-25.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.91 ¥6.21

24.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.72 ¥11.76

-34.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.88 ¥6.02

-3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.55 ¥3.76

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.73 ¥18.69

-14.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.95 ¥75.0

1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.78 ¥5.35

52.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.65 ¥11.29

43.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.20 ¥1.37

295.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.13 ¥76.2

269.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.37 ¥9.42

5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.26 ¥1.78

634.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.80 ¥46.55

17.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.17 ¥8.04

-19.66%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$16.8K ¥114.8K

6.95%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$17.2K ¥118.1K

55.43%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$39.51 ¥271

112.50%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.98 ¥68.4

-3.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$9.64 ¥66.1

150.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$43.58 ¥299

-40.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$9.87 ¥67.6

92.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$9.52 ¥65.2

-58.82%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$453 ¥3,104

-32.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$22.7K ¥155.3K

-73.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$43.65 ¥299

32.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$26.95 ¥185

18.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$85.4 ¥585

17.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$79.9 ¥547

34.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$328 ¥2,249

48.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$252 ¥1,729

45.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$849 ¥5,814

-2.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$514 ¥3,518

39.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$9,027 ¥61.8K

-67.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$5,094 ¥34.9K

-72.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,134 ¥7,764

-51.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.56

277.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Xiamen: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $328 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 108% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Xiamen. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $205 in Xiamen – 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 Xiamen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,172 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 $33.00 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $782 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 $782, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.