Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zibo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zibo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $721 in Zibo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,103 in Zibo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $1,485 in Zibo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Zibo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.1K

$4.14 ¥28.28

48.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.0K

$16.77 ¥115

97.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$5.44 ¥37.18

34.56%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,973

$3.28 ¥22.42

-49.39%

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

$1.10 COP 3,978

$0.44 ¥2.98

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,816

$0.27 ¥1.84

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,174

$0.85 ¥5.83

101.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.4K

$1.91 ¥13.04

65.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,003

$1.65 ¥11.30

-32.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,709

$0.73 ¥5.00

79.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,969

$0.82 ¥5.59

68.29%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,992

$1.18 ¥8.06

88.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.6K

$15.12 ¥103

-71.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$1.90 ¥12.97

205.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.3K

$5.62 ¥38.36

59.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,146

$1.14 ¥7.76

98.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,014

$0.86 ¥5.90

29.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,273

$0.94 ¥6.41

55.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,918

$0.80 ¥5.46

71.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,000

$0.41 ¥2.78

170.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,190

$0.87 ¥5.91

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,204

$0.43 ¥2.94

106.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,117

$0.58 ¥3.95

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,476

$3.73 ¥25.50

-37.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.1K

$13.00 ¥88.8

-16.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,321

$0.73 ¥5.01

64.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,927

$1.41 ¥9.61

75.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,836

$0.27 ¥1.83

192.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 146.8K

$16.98 ¥116

140.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,125

$1.08 ¥7.39

31.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,885

$0.34 ¥2.34

461.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.29 ¥42.99

21.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,482

$1.06 ¥7.23

-8.49%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$17.0K ¥116.0K

6.53%

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

$26.3K COP 94.8M

$13.7K ¥93.5K

92.18%

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

$81.3 COP 292.9K

$86.1 ¥588

-5.52%

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

$9.63 COP 34.7K

$10.29 ¥70.3

-6.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 87.8K

$5.49 ¥37.50

343.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.7K

$41.29 ¥282

-36.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.1K

$13.95 ¥95.3

35.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$6.20 ¥42.35

-37.26%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$168 ¥1,145

81.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$18.8K ¥128.1K

-68.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.4K

$28.25 ¥193

107.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.0K

$24.27 ¥166

33.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 366.5K

$68.4 ¥467

48.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$70.3 ¥480

53.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$274 ¥1,868

73.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$190 ¥1,298

95.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$598 ¥4,086

41.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$360 ¥2,460

98.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.3M

$3,106 ¥21.2K

-7.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$2,235 ¥15.3K

-38.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$738 ¥5,038

-26.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.62

190.69%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Zibo: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $274 in Zibo. 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 36% higher in Zibo, 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 Zibo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $166 – making Zibo 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 Zibo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,082 in Zibo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zibo, 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 Zibo. 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 $721 in Zibo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zibo, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Medellin at $1,014. In Zibo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zibo – 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 Zibo. 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.