Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zhengzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zhengzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $723 in Zhengzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,133 in Zhengzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,543 in Zhengzhou, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Zhengzhou, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Zhengzhou are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Zhengzhou 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$2.07 ¥13.97

185.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$16.54 ¥112

99.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$4.22 ¥28.50

76.07%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.54 ¥17.18

-35.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.42 ¥2.84

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.24 ¥1.61

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$0.82 ¥5.55

109.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$1.65 ¥11.12

92.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.52 ¥10.27

-27.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.49 ¥10.05

-15.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$0.89 ¥5.98

55.06%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$0.98 ¥6.59

122.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$13.98 ¥94.4

-67.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$2.20 ¥14.83

163.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$11.54 ¥78.0

-22.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.09 ¥7.33

112.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.03 ¥6.96

2.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$0.82 ¥5.51

85.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.10 ¥7.45

23.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.55 ¥3.73

105.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.57 ¥3.85

105.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.45 ¥3.01

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.64 ¥4.33

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$3.00 ¥20.29

-25.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$15.03 ¥102

-19.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$0.72 ¥4.88

65.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.82 ¥12.33

36.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.15 ¥1.00

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$13.47 ¥91.0

208.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.38 ¥9.32

2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.26 ¥1.75

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$3.42 ¥23.11

130.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.15 ¥7.77

-13.91%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$19.1K ¥128.7K

-7.64%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$16.9K ¥114.2K

58.55%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$71.5 ¥483

16.10%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$8.85 ¥59.8

9.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$10.04 ¥67.8

134.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$92.7 ¥626

-72.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$9.25 ¥62.5

106.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$5.10 ¥34.47

-22.55%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$258 ¥1,743

22.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$19.5K ¥131.5K

-69.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$46.48 ¥314

29.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$33.49 ¥226

-4.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$77.5 ¥523

31.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$66.9 ¥452

60.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$198 ¥1,338

139.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$139 ¥942

168.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$448 ¥3,025

89.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$300 ¥2,029

139.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$3,016 ¥20.4K

8.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,553 ¥10.5K

-7.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$890 ¥6,010

-29.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.86

176.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Zhengzhou: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $198 in Zhengzhou. 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 42% higher in Zhengzhou, 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 $17.00 in Zhengzhou. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $195 in Zhengzhou – 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 Zhengzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,084 in Zhengzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhengzhou, 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 $17.00 in Zhengzhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $723 in Zhengzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhengzhou, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Zhengzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhengzhou – 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 Zhengzhou. 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.