Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zhangjiagang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zhangjiagang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $750 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,239 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $1,729 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Zhangjiagang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Zhangjiagang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Zhangjiagang 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$3.57 ¥24.37

71.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$26.64 ¥182

24.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$4.81 ¥32.84

52.18%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$3.36 ¥22.94

-50.60%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$0.52 ¥3.57

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$0.29 ¥1.99

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$1.08 ¥7.38

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$1.63 ¥11.13

94.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$2.03 ¥13.88

-45.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$1.93 ¥13.18

-32.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$1.00 ¥6.85

38.00%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$1.79 ¥12.19

24.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$17.19 ¥117

-74.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$2.60 ¥17.75

123.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$9.39 ¥64.2

-4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$1.99 ¥13.56

13.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$1.75 ¥11.93

-36.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$1.58 ¥10.78

-7.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$1.26 ¥8.59

8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$0.76 ¥5.20

46.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$0.92 ¥6.28

26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$0.67 ¥4.61

32.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.53 ¥3.63

64.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$4.07 ¥27.77

-42.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$13.40 ¥91.5

-18.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$0.70 ¥4.81

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$1.64 ¥11.21

51.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.29 ¥2.00

172.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$16.72 ¥114

143.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$1.76 ¥12.03

-19.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$0.26 ¥1.77

634.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.10 ¥41.63

25.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.17 ¥8.01

-17.09%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$19.1K ¥130.7K

-5.45%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$16.8K ¥114.7K

56.60%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$43.69 ¥298

86.11%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$11.60 ¥79.2

-16.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$11.33 ¥77.4

115.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$41.07 ¥281

-36.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$13.85 ¥94.6

36.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$6.14 ¥41.90

-36.64%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$442 ¥3,019

-31.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$17.2K ¥117.3K

-65.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$58.0 ¥396

1.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$34.83 ¥238

-6.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$72.4 ¥495

40.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$93.3 ¥638

15.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$275 ¥1,879

72.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$191 ¥1,305

94.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$590 ¥4,027

43.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$361 ¥2,466

98.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$3,613 ¥24.7K

-20.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$1,791 ¥12.2K

-23.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.83

250.65%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Zhangjiagang: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $275 in Zhangjiagang. 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 in Medellin versus $27 in Zhangjiagang. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $223 in Zhangjiagang – 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 Zhangjiagang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,124 in Zhangjiagang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhangjiagang, 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 $27.00 in Zhangjiagang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,014 in Medellin and $750 in Zhangjiagang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhangjiagang, where all-in costs run around $750, than in Medellin at $1,014. In Zhangjiagang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhangjiagang – 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 Zhangjiagang. 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.