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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $642 in Zhongshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $996 in Zhongshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,350 in Zhongshan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 61% more than Zhongshan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Zhongshan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zhongshan 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.80 ¥18.92

120.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.98 ¥115

91.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.27 ¥28.89

71.90%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.80 ¥18.89

-38.57%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.40 ¥2.72

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.27 ¥1.81

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.73 ¥4.90

131.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.69 ¥11.43

87.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.77 ¥11.94

-40.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.80 ¥12.17

-27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.97 ¥6.56

44.33%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.56 ¥10.54

38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.87 ¥87.0

-65.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.59 ¥17.53

127.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$12.62 ¥85.3

-31.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.83 ¥12.35

24.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.94 ¥6.36

18.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.60 ¥4.06

155.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.38 ¥9.30

-2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.50 ¥3.40

126.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.73 ¥4.96

54.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.36 ¥2.44

136.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.51 ¥3.48

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.86 ¥19.32

-18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.36 ¥83.6

0.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.65 ¥4.38

84.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.93 ¥13.03

29.02%

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

$13.82 ¥93.4

193.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.28 ¥8.62

10.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.37 ¥2.52

418.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.01 ¥47.39

9.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.13 ¥7.65

-12.39%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$22.8K ¥154.1K

-20.95%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.3K ¥137.2K

31.10%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$38.39 ¥259

110.50%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.49 ¥57.4

17.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.88 ¥80.3

103.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$63.6 ¥430

-60.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.98 ¥47.20

174.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.71 ¥38.59

-30.30%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$298 ¥2,014

2.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$12.5K ¥84.4K

-51.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$44.38 ¥300

30.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.38 ¥205

5.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$56.6 ¥382

78.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$69.3 ¥468

55.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$196 ¥1,323

143.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$119 ¥806

215.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$349 ¥2,359

141.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$200 ¥1,354

264.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,411 ¥16.3K

33.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,457 ¥9,846

-5.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$948 ¥6,409

-34.97%

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 Zhongshan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $196 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 54% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Zhongshan. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $202 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 61%, 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 $962 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $642 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 $642, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.