Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yichang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yichang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $713 in Yichang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,145 in Yichang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,577 in Yichang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 45% more than Yichang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Yichang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Yichang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.85 ¥19.27

116.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$21.64 ¥146

50.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.81 ¥32.49

52.60%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.05 ¥20.59

-43.61%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.43 ¥2.93

144.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.29 ¥1.98

165.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.95 ¥6.40

77.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.06 ¥13.95

53.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.86 ¥12.58

-43.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.61 ¥10.87

-19.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.97 ¥6.57

44.33%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.54 ¥10.44

40.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.66 ¥85.6

-65.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.20 ¥21.64

83.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.15 ¥68.6

-14.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.89 ¥12.79

20.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.25 ¥8.46

-11.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.50 ¥10.13

2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.10 ¥7.45

22.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.71 ¥4.77

59.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.95 ¥6.40

18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.61 ¥4.11

39.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.51 ¥3.42

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.05 ¥20.63

-23.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.42 ¥70.4

18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.78 ¥5.30

53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.65 ¥11.16

50.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.27 ¥1.80

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$16.70 ¥113

142.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.35 ¥9.13

5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.36 ¥2.41

433.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.62 ¥44.75

15.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.17 ¥7.93

-15.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.6K ¥132.6K

-8.13%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$17.0K ¥114.9K

56.58%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$45.50 ¥307

77.60%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.83 ¥66.5

1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.93 ¥80.6

102.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$41.01 ¥277

-38.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.05 ¥95.0

36.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.75 ¥38.87

-30.78%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$335 ¥2,264

-8.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$17.0K ¥114.7K

-64.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$44.61 ¥301

30.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.52 ¥206

5.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$71.5 ¥483

40.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$71.1 ¥480

51.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$281 ¥1,897

69.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$190 ¥1,281

98.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$581 ¥3,925

45.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$361 ¥2,442

102.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,035 ¥20.5K

5.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,055 ¥13.9K

-33.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.89

245.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Yichang: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $281 in Yichang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Yichang. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $198 in Yichang – 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 Yichang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,070 in Yichang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yichang, 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 $22.00 in Yichang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $713 in Yichang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yichang, where all-in costs run around $713, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Yichang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yichang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Yichang. 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.