Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,032 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,649 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,266 per month in Shenzhen vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Shenzhen and Medellin have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.17

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-49.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-15.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.97

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-33.65%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.46

$1.72 COP 5,600

93.02%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$1.05 COP 3,420

-54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.77 COP 2,515

-63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.22

$1.69 COP 5,488

-28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.76

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-12.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.83

$1.05 COP 3,423

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.33

$1.30 COP 4,236

51.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.97

$1.40 COP 4,544

-15.71%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.96

$2.16 COP 7,047

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.9

$4.39 COP 14.3K

189.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.61

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-33.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.6

$8.64 COP 28.1K

54.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.63

$2.28 COP 7,426

-17.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.90

$1.11 COP 3,604

31.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.29

$1.53 COP 4,983

18.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.44

$1.35 COP 4,410

2.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.40

$1.13 COP 3,674

-3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.61

$1.13 COP 3,692

25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.05

$0.85 COP 2,753

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$0.91 COP 2,975

-37.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.94

$2.34 COP 7,630

44.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.4

$12.37 COP 40.3K

1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$1.20 COP 3,909

-22.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.87

$2.49 COP 8,104

-23.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.84 COP 2,728

-47.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-45.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.40

$1.42 COP 4,623

19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.54

$1.92 COP 6,235

-80.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.65

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-11.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$0.99 COP 3,223

15.15%

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

$22.7K ¥153.7K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

25.93%

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

$20.7K ¥140.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-22.34%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-19.14%

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

$8.39 ¥56.8

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-15.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.5

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-45.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥345

$25.08 COP 81.7K

102.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-8.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.89

$3.98 COP 13.0K

77.89%

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

$467 ¥3,159

$305 COP 993.5K

52.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥140.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

241.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-16.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-5.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥506

$101 COP 327.9K

-25.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥537

$108 COP 350.8K

-26.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,953

$477 COP 1.6M

53.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,777

$376 COP 1.2M

9.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$845 COP 2.7M

101.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,157

$730 COP 2.4M

24.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.4K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

301.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.6K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

337.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

$617 COP 2.0M

178.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

13.43

-69.92%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $732 in Shenzhen versus $477 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 179% higher in Shenzhen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Shenzhen vs $193 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

Shenzhen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,549 per month in Shenzhen and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $28.00 in Shenzhen and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 83% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Shenzhen at $1,032. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shenzhen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.