Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhangjiagang and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Zhangjiagang: $740 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Zhangjiagang
🇨🇳 China
$740
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zhangjiagang and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zhangjiagang and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $740 per month in Zhangjiagang vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Zhangjiagang $740
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $1,149 per month in Zhangjiagang vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Zhangjiagang $1,149
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $1,558 per month in Zhangjiagang vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Zhangjiagang $1,558
  • Medellin $3,190

Zhangjiagang is about 54% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Zhangjiagang sits 45% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zhangjiagang
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.80 ¥25.42
$7.93 COP 25.2K
-52.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.20 ¥148
$46.13 COP 146.3K
-51.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.98 ¥33.31
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-47.58%
Cappuccino
$3.04 ¥20.32
$3.11 COP 9,866
-2.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ¥3.29
$1.83 COP 5,800
-73.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 ¥1.81
$1.38 COP 4,360
-80.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.51 ¥10.09
$3.05 COP 9,672
-50.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 ¥14.84
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-59.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zhangjiagang
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.08 ¥13.89
$1.45 COP 4,600
43.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.09 ¥13.95
$2.36 COP 7,496
-11.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.84 ¥5.64
$1.68 COP 5,328
-50.00%
Eggs
$1.36 ¥9.09
$2.86 COP 9,077
-52.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.64 ¥71.1
$10.19 COP 32.3K
4.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.93 ¥19.59
$9.53 COP 30.2K
-69.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.12 ¥61.0
$14.04 COP 44.5K
-35.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.04 ¥13.65
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-49.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.29 ¥8.64
$1.50 COP 4,742
-14.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.80 ¥12.03
$2.17 COP 6,891
-17.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.11 ¥7.39
$2.31 COP 7,310
-51.95%
Potato (1kg)
$0.90 ¥5.99
$1.93 COP 6,113
-53.37%
Onion (1kg)
$0.90 ¥6.03
$1.64 COP 5,196
-45.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 ¥5.80
$1.13 COP 3,571
-23.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ¥3.51
$1.25 COP 3,954
-57.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.64 ¥24.37
$3.99 COP 12.6K
-8.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.44 ¥89.9
$13.35 COP 42.3K
0.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 ¥6.27
$1.70 COP 5,384
-44.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56 ¥10.44
$2.37 COP 7,525
-34.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Zhangjiagang
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 ¥1.99
$1.21 COP 3,827
-75.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.58 ¥118
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-77.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.76 ¥11.78
$1.32 COP 4,179
33.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 ¥2.60
$2.14 COP 6,774
-81.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.76 ¥58.6
$8.47 COP 26.8K
3.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 ¥9.14
$1.30 COP 4,114
5.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2K ¥128.2K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
-31.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.9K ¥112.7K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
-52.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zhangjiagang
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$55.8 ¥373
$172 COP 545.6K
-67.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.76 ¥51.9
$13.37 COP 42.4K
-41.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.32 ¥48.97
$28.73 COP 91.1K
-74.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zhangjiagang
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.15 ¥242
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-20.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.01 ¥107
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-6.04%
Cinema Ticket
$6.07 ¥40.60
$6.28 COP 19.9K
-3.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zhangjiagang
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$418 ¥2,793
$770 COP 2.4M
-45.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K ¥149.4K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
147.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zhangjiagang
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.99 ¥287
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-50.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.04 ¥228
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-40.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.7 ¥439
$137 COP 432.9K
-51.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5 ¥591
$97.9 COP 310.4K
-9.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zhangjiagang
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$280 ¥1,869
$1,055 COP 3.3M
-73.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$194 ¥1,295
$616 COP 2.0M
-68.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 ¥4,808
$1,892 COP 6.0M
-62.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$324 ¥2,167
$1,023 COP 3.2M
-68.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,266 ¥21.8K
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-19.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,685 ¥11.3K
$1,678 COP 5.3M
0.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zhangjiagang
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$652 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.42
10.94
-68.74%

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

Last update for Zhangjiagang: October 10, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Zhangjiagang
$204
Medellin
$295 44.4% $91
Accommodation & Living
Zhangjiagang
$194
Medellin
$616 218% $422
Clothing & Footwear
Zhangjiagang
$104
Medellin
$170 63.5% $66
Eating Out
Zhangjiagang
$97
Medellin
$168 73.8% $72
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zhangjiagang
$71
Medellin
$214 202% $143
Sport & Entertainment
Zhangjiagang
$48
Medellin
$58 19.7% $9.5
Getting Around
Zhangjiagang
$22
Medellin
$93 315% $71

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Zhangjiagang versus $1,055 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Zhangjiagang versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $295 – making Zhangjiagang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Zhangjiagang
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
12:27 12:27 PM
23:27 11:27 PM
13 h behind Zhangjiagang
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,432,044
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zhangjiagang Medellin 15,440 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Zhangjiagang
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Zhangjiagang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Zhangjiagang?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 118%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,110 per month in Zhangjiagang and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhangjiagang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Zhangjiagang or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Zhangjiagang and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Zhangjiagang and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $740 in Zhangjiagang and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 118%.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Zhangjiagang or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zhangjiagang, where all-in costs run around $740, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Zhangjiagang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Zhangjiagang or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Zhangjiagang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Zhangjiagang. 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.

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