Cost of Living Comparison Between Xi'an and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Xi'an and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $687 per month in Xi'an vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,101 per month in Xi'an vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,515 per month in Xi'an vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Xi'an is about 32% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Xi'an and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Xi'an 49% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 ¥18.97

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-52.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.20 ¥123

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-45.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 ¥37.12

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-24.07%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.43

$1.63 COP 5,687

103.68%

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

$0.40 ¥2.70

$1.09 COP 3,821

-63.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$0.73 COP 2,548

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$1.74 COP 6,065

-36.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.48

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-47.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥10.65

$1.05 COP 3,662

50.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ¥10.53

$1.29 COP 4,515

20.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.50

$1.32 COP 4,617

-38.64%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.19

$2.27 COP 7,927

-27.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ¥46.42

$4.35 COP 15.2K

57.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.30

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-66.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 ¥61.5

$8.61 COP 30.0K

5.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.82

$2.25 COP 7,844

-28.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.61

$1.07 COP 3,733

5.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ¥8.96

$1.52 COP 5,322

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.16

$1.42 COP 4,964

-46.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ¥4.41

$1.17 COP 4,084

-44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ¥3.74

$1.17 COP 4,077

-52.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ¥3.42

$0.89 COP 3,096

-42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.90 COP 3,146

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 ¥18.41

$2.25 COP 7,837

20.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.29 ¥49.29

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-33.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.99

$1.14 COP 3,977

-35.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.52

$2.38 COP 8,301

-28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ¥3.21

$0.84 COP 2,916

-44.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.61 ¥227

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-19.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ¥9.00

$1.41 COP 4,912

-5.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ¥2.00

$1.90 COP 6,634

-84.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 ¥28.48

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-45.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥8.07

$1.01 COP 3,509

17.82%

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

$21.1K ¥142.8K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

20.14%

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

$16.4K ¥110.7K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-38.18%

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

$44.91 ¥304

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-46.33%

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

$5.95 ¥40.22

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-37.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 ¥79.3

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-51.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.44 ¥287

$25.31 COP 88.3K

67.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.97 ¥115

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-11.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 ¥32.63

$4.10 COP 14.3K

17.80%

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

$331 ¥2,241

$312 COP 1.1M

6.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K ¥122.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

202.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥366

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-6.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.75 ¥255

$32.56 COP 113.6K

15.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 ¥473

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-29.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 ¥482

$109 COP 378.8K

-34.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 ¥1,732

$482 COP 1.7M

-46.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ¥1,299

$379 COP 1.3M

-49.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ¥3,384

$837 COP 2.9M

-40.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 ¥2,529

$723 COP 2.5M

-48.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,369 ¥16.0K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-16.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,580 ¥10.7K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

29.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,077 ¥7,283

$541 COP 1.9M

99.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

13.43

-67.83%

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

Last update for Xi'an: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $256 in Xi'an versus $482 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 99% higher in Xi'an, 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 $18.00 in Xi'an versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $190 – making Xi'an 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

Xi'an vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 48%, 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 $1,030 per month in Xi'an and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Xi'an, 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 $18.00 in Xi'an 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 $687 in Xi'an and $1,017 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 Xi'an, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Xi'an it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Xi'an – 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 Xi'an. 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.