Cost of Living Comparison Between Yiwu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Yiwu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Yiwu vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,344 per month in Yiwu vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,969 per month in Yiwu vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Yiwu is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Yiwu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Yiwu 46% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ¥18.39

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-54.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.17 ¥245

$32.86 COP 117.2K

10.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥37.07

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-22.71%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$1.71 COP 6,105

107.60%

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

$0.55 ¥3.71

$1.10 COP 3,918

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.00

$0.78 COP 2,776

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 ¥9.58

$1.68 COP 5,987

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.51

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-10.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$1.09 COP 3,899

63.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.15

$1.26 COP 4,500

42.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.73

$1.38 COP 4,914

-38.41%

Eggs

$1.60 ¥10.85

$2.19 COP 7,813

-26.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 ¥104

$4.40 COP 15.7K

247.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-44.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.57 ¥71.5

$8.89 COP 31.7K

18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ¥11.54

$2.34 COP 8,334

-27.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ¥9.68

$1.06 COP 3,771

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.52

$1.50 COP 5,365

-6.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.67

$1.38 COP 4,915

-18.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ¥3.44

$1.15 COP 4,104

-55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.54

$1.16 COP 4,148

-29.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.15 ¥1.04

$0.89 COP 3,176

-83.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.03

$0.84 COP 2,992

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 ¥18.75

$2.28 COP 8,131

21.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.98 ¥81.1

$10.64 COP 37.9K

12.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ¥2.74

$1.20 COP 4,276

-66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 ¥7.23

$2.47 COP 8,809

-56.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.73

$0.86 COP 3,051

-53.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.96 ¥115

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-59.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ¥7.65

$1.47 COP 5,255

-23.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ¥1.56

$1.96 COP 6,997

-88.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.30 ¥56.2

$7.74 COP 27.6K

7.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.75

$0.95 COP 3,403

21.05%

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

$19.6K ¥132.7K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

8.12%

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

$17.7K ¥120.1K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-33.03%

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

$51.7 ¥350

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-37.11%

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

$8.78 ¥59.4

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-7.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-44.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.17 ¥95.9

$25.89 COP 92.3K

-45.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.60 ¥71.8

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-44.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ¥43.92

$3.93 COP 14.0K

65.14%

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

$339 ¥2,293

$309 COP 1.1M

9.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

431.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 ¥372

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-6.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 ¥233

$32.35 COP 115.3K

6.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 ¥516

$103 COP 365.7K

-25.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 ¥476

$108 COP 386.5K

-35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ¥2,868

$476 COP 1.7M

-11.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ¥1,253

$379 COP 1.4M

-51.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$990 ¥6,698

$838 COP 3.0M

18.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 ¥4,656

$724 COP 2.6M

-4.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,197 ¥21.6K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

14.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,894 ¥19.6K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

138.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ¥4,002

$512 COP 1.8M

15.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

13.43

-73.34%

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

Last update for Yiwu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Yiwu 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 16% higher in Yiwu, 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 $36.00 in Yiwu versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Yiwu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,078 per month in Yiwu 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 Yiwu, 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 $36.00 in Yiwu 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 $718 in Yiwu 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 Yiwu, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Yiwu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yiwu – 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 Yiwu. 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.