Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zhenjiang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zhenjiang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $579 in Zhenjiang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,007 in Zhenjiang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,436 in Zhenjiang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 78% more than Zhenjiang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Zhenjiang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zhenjiang 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.82 ¥19.04

118.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.53 ¥179

22.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.00 ¥33.78

46.80%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.05 ¥13.83

-16.10%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.29 ¥1.97

262.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.20 ¥1.35

285.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.02 ¥6.87

65.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.69 ¥11.40

87.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.70 ¥11.52

-38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.37 ¥9.24

-5.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.80 ¥5.43

75.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.80 ¥12.14

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.54 ¥37.41

-20.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.67 ¥18.02

120.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.44 ¥63.8

-8.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.62 ¥10.97

40.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.70 ¥11.50

-34.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.63 ¥11.04

-6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.25 ¥8.44

8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.73 ¥4.90

54.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.00 ¥6.76

13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.44 ¥2.97

93.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.29 ¥1.96

213.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.26 ¥28.76

-45.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.59 ¥78.3

6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.69 ¥4.66

73.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.40 ¥9.49

77.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.29 ¥1.96

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$7.13 ¥48.20

469.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.22 ¥8.24

16.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.40 ¥2.70

380.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.19 ¥28.33

82.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.14 ¥7.68

-13.16%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$16.7K ¥112.8K

8.01%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$16.9K ¥113.9K

58.01%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$45.19 ¥305

78.82%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.52 ¥77.8

-13.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.81 ¥79.8

104.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$42.16 ¥285

-40.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$27.86 ¥188

-31.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.41 ¥43.33

-37.91%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$423 ¥2,860

-27.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$17.0K ¥114.9K

-64.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$42.40 ¥287

37.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$27.45 ¥186

17.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$42.58 ¥288

136.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$42.42 ¥287

154.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$212 ¥1,435

124.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$141 ¥952

166.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$485 ¥3,280

74.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$345 ¥2,334

111.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,001 ¥13.5K

60.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$897 ¥6,064

52.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$962 ¥6,503

-35.91%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zhenjiang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $212 in Zhenjiang. 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 56% higher in Zhenjiang, 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 $27.00 in Zhenjiang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $169 – making Zhenjiang 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 Zhenjiang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 78%, 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 $868 in Zhenjiang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhenjiang, 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 Zhenjiang. 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 $579 in Zhenjiang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhenjiang, where all-in costs run around $579, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Zhenjiang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhenjiang – 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 Zhenjiang. 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.