Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zhongshan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zhongshan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $647 in Zhongshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,008 in Zhongshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $1,368 in Zhongshan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 57% more than Zhongshan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Zhongshan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Zhongshan 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$2.71 ¥18.49

126.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$16.90 ¥115

95.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$4.26 ¥29.10

71.83%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$2.83 ¥19.31

-41.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$0.41 ¥2.77

168.29%

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

$0.73 ¥4.96

134.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$1.66 ¥11.33

90.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$1.73 ¥11.83

-35.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$1.80 ¥12.27

-27.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$0.96 ¥6.58

43.75%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$1.64 ¥11.20

35.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$12.73 ¥87.0

-65.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$2.62 ¥17.92

121.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$12.46 ¥85.1

-27.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$1.88 ¥12.87

20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$0.94 ¥6.42

18.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$0.65 ¥4.42

124.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$1.32 ¥9.04

3.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$0.50 ¥3.42

122.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$0.71 ¥4.87

63.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$0.37 ¥2.50

140.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.51 ¥3.48

70.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$2.83 ¥19.30

-16.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$14.39 ¥98.3

-24.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$0.61 ¥4.15

96.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$1.84 ¥12.58

34.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.27 ¥1.84

192.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$13.73 ¥93.8

196.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$1.27 ¥8.67

11.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$0.34 ¥2.35

461.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.88 ¥46.98

11.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.18 ¥8.05

-17.80%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$22.6K ¥154.7K

-20.09%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$20.0K ¥136.9K

31.26%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$38.37 ¥262

111.91%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$8.22 ¥56.1

17.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$12.01 ¥82.1

102.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$62.8 ¥429

-58.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$6.92 ¥47.24

173.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$5.54 ¥37.83

-29.78%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$294 ¥2,008

3.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$12.8K ¥87.3K

-53.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$43.57 ¥298

34.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$30.32 ¥207

7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$56.5 ¥386

79.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$70.9 ¥484

52.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$194 ¥1,326

144.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$118 ¥807

213.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$346 ¥2,360

145.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$198 ¥1,352

261.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$2,432 ¥16.6K

18.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$1,450 ¥9,906

-5.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$843 ¥5,760

-35.78%

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 Zhongshan: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $194 in Zhongshan. 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 Zhongshan, 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 in Medellin versus $17 in Zhongshan. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $205 in Zhongshan – 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 Zhongshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $971 in Zhongshan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhongshan, 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 Zhongshan. 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 $647 in Zhongshan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zhongshan, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Medellin at $1,014. In Zhongshan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhongshan – 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 Zhongshan. 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.