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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Shenzhen vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 2% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.18

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-47.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-16.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.26

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-28.63%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.52

$1.71 COP 6,105

94.74%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$1.10 COP 3,918

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.78 COP 2,776

-64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$1.68 COP 5,987

-27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.14

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-7.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.72

$1.09 COP 3,899

58.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.36

$1.26 COP 4,500

56.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$1.38 COP 4,914

-10.87%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$2.19 COP 7,813

-11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$4.40 COP 15.7K

190.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.43

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-28.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$8.89 COP 31.7K

51.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$2.34 COP 8,334

-19.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.06 COP 3,771

33.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$1.50 COP 5,365

21.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.09

$1.38 COP 4,915

-2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$1.15 COP 4,104

-8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$1.16 COP 4,148

25.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.89 COP 3,176

-20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.84 COP 2,992

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.88

$2.28 COP 8,131

48.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$10.64 COP 37.9K

21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$1.20 COP 4,276

-21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$2.47 COP 8,809

-24.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.86 COP 3,051

-53.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-47.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.47 COP 5,255

10.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$1.96 COP 6,997

-82.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.49

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-9.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$0.95 COP 3,403

24.21%

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

$22.9K ¥154.9K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

26.25%

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

$20.7K ¥140.3K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-21.73%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-20.57%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-13.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-46.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$25.89 COP 92.3K

94.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-8.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.46

$3.93 COP 14.0K

74.55%

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

$457 ¥3,092

$309 COP 1.1M

47.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

249.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-16.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$32.35 COP 115.3K

-5.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$103 COP 365.7K

-27.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥543

$108 COP 386.5K

-26.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,987

$476 COP 1.7M

54.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,783

$379 COP 1.4M

8.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$838 COP 3.0M

101.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,112

$724 COP 2.6M

24.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.0K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

370.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

413.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$512 COP 1.8M

225.40%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Shenzhen 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 225% higher in Shenzhen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. 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 – $230 in Shenzhen 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

Shenzhen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shenzhen is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,556 per month in Shenzhen 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 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,037 in Shenzhen and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. 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.