Cost of Living Comparison Between Ningbo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ningbo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $823 per month in Ningbo vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Ningbo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,840 per month in Ningbo vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Ningbo is about 19% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ningbo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ningbo 39% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.21 ¥21.76

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-46.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.85 ¥168

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-24.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ¥29.04

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-39.49%

Cappuccino

$3.14 ¥21.26

$1.71 COP 6,093

83.63%

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

$0.45 ¥3.04

$1.10 COP 3,910

-59.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$0.78 COP 2,771

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 ¥6.00

$1.68 COP 5,976

-47.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.89

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-33.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ¥13.53

$1.09 COP 3,892

83.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 ¥19.01

$1.26 COP 4,492

123.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$1.38 COP 4,905

-39.86%

Eggs

$1.38 ¥9.35

$2.19 COP 7,799

-36.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.27 ¥144

$4.40 COP 15.7K

383.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 ¥33.61

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.66 ¥79.0

$8.89 COP 31.6K

31.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 ¥13.27

$2.34 COP 8,319

-16.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$1.06 COP 3,764

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 ¥15.09

$1.50 COP 5,355

48.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$1.38 COP 4,906

-20.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 ¥4.22

$1.15 COP 4,097

-46.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$1.16 COP 4,141

-30.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ¥4.01

$0.89 COP 3,170

-33.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.84 COP 2,986

-27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 ¥36.36

$2.28 COP 8,116

135.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 ¥54.1

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ¥7.74

$1.20 COP 4,268

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥13.18

$2.47 COP 8,793

-21.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.86 COP 3,045

-68.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.39 ¥111

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-60.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.47 COP 5,245

11.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.19

$1.96 COP 6,984

-83.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 ¥46.66

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-10.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.80

$0.95 COP 3,397

21.05%

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

$21.9K ¥148.6K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

21.00%

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

$19.5K ¥132.0K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-26.43%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-20.58%

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

$15.43 ¥105

$9.50 COP 33.8K

62.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.98 ¥47.28

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-71.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.89 ¥148

$25.89 COP 92.1K

-15.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 ¥88.3

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-31.42%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ¥55.9

$3.93 COP 14.0K

109.92%

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

$599 ¥4,055

$309 COP 1.1M

93.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ¥105.8K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

161.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.73 ¥289

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-27.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.84 ¥195

$32.35 COP 115.1K

-10.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 ¥472

$103 COP 365.1K

-32.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.3 ¥422

$108 COP 385.8K

-42.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 ¥2,527

$476 COP 1.7M

-21.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 ¥1,745

$379 COP 1.3M

-31.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 ¥5,952

$838 COP 3.0M

4.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 ¥3,339

$724 COP 2.6M

-31.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,638 ¥31.4K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

66.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,605 ¥17.6K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

115.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,193 ¥8,083

$512 COP 1.8M

133.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

13.43

-63.89%

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

Last update for Ningbo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $373 in Ningbo versus $476 in Medellin. 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 133% higher in Ningbo, 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 $25.00 in Ningbo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Ningbo vs $188 in Medellin – 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

Ningbo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,235 per month in Ningbo and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ningbo, 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 $25.00 in Ningbo and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $823 in Ningbo and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ningbo, where all-in costs run around $823, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Ningbo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ningbo – 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 Ningbo. 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.