Cost of Living Comparison Between Tianjin and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tianjin and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $783 per month in Tianjin vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,245 per month in Tianjin vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,707 per month in Tianjin vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Tianjin is about 23% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Tianjin and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tianjin 42% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.23 ¥28.62

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-29.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 ¥190

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-14.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ¥38.35

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-20.03%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥21.48

$1.71 COP 6,105

85.38%

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

$0.47 ¥3.20

$1.10 COP 3,918

-57.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.78 COP 2,776

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 ¥5.59

$1.68 COP 5,987

-50.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.85

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-38.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ¥12.51

$1.09 COP 3,899

69.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.13

$1.26 COP 4,500

42.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.38 COP 4,914

-17.39%

Eggs

$1.18 ¥7.97

$2.19 COP 7,813

-46.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 ¥103

$4.40 COP 15.7K

245.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 ¥19.39

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-49.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ¥63.5

$8.89 COP 31.7K

5.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 ¥8.63

$2.34 COP 8,334

-45.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.72

$1.06 COP 3,771

21.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ¥8.98

$1.50 COP 5,365

-11.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.74

$1.38 COP 4,915

-17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.36

$1.15 COP 4,104

-31.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.23

$1.16 COP 4,148

-20.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.94

$0.89 COP 3,176

-17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.43

$0.84 COP 2,992

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 ¥26.53

$2.28 COP 8,131

71.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 ¥88.6

$10.64 COP 37.9K

23.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ¥7.87

$1.20 COP 4,276

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ¥15.83

$2.47 COP 8,809

-5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.86 COP 3,051

-66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.31 ¥76.5

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-72.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ¥9.60

$1.47 COP 5,255

-3.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.39

$1.96 COP 6,997

-82.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 ¥42.88

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-18.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.86

$0.95 COP 3,403

22.11%

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

$16.4K ¥110.9K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

-9.62%

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

$19.2K ¥130.2K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-27.36%

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

$84.9 ¥575

$82.3 COP 293.2K

3.20%

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

$10.10 ¥68.4

$9.50 COP 33.9K

6.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.83 ¥46.25

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-71.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.80 ¥93.4

$25.89 COP 92.3K

-46.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.60 ¥37.90

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-70.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ¥41.30

$3.93 COP 14.0K

55.22%

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

$547 ¥3,706

$309 COP 1.1M

76.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K ¥126.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

212.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.78 ¥269

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-32.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.79 ¥195

$32.35 COP 115.3K

-11.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 ¥509

$103 COP 365.7K

-26.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 ¥467

$108 COP 386.5K

-36.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ¥2,370

$476 COP 1.7M

-26.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 ¥1,573

$379 COP 1.4M

-38.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 ¥7,055

$838 COP 3.0M

24.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ¥3,259

$724 COP 2.6M

-33.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,331 ¥36.1K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

91.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,347 ¥15.9K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

93.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,150 ¥7,785

$512 COP 1.8M

124.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.62

13.43

-65.60%

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

Last update for Tianjin: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $350 in Tianjin 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 125% higher in Tianjin, 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 $28.00 in Tianjin versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Tianjin 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

Tianjin vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,175 per month in Tianjin 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 Tianjin, 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 Tianjin 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 $783 in Tianjin and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tianjin, where all-in costs run around $783, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Tianjin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tianjin – 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 Tianjin. 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.