Medan vs Guilin: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
Guilin costs roughly 13.3x less than Medan. Medan leads on digital nomad infrastructure. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Guilin is approximately 3% less expensive than Medan based on cost of living including rent. This makes Guilin a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Guilin has a FIRE Score of 89/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 75, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Guilin is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About Medan
Medan is a brutally cheap place to live, with a 1-bedroom outside the center at $89/mo and a monthly public transport pass at $6/mo, but the average local net salary of $216/mo means most expats are living on foreign income, not local wages. The catch is that both the Indonesia Retirement Visa (KITAS) and the Indonesia Remote Worker Visa (E33G) demand a minimum monthly income of $2,000/mo, which is nearly ten times what a local earns. Add limited English, a small expat community, fair healthcare, and a hot, humid climate with rain year-round, and Medan suits self-sufficient remote workers who want maximum savings over comfort. The FIRE score of 77/100 is the real draw here; the retiree score of 51/100 tells you this is not a soft landing.
About Indonesia
Skip this if you need English-speaking doctors or a fast path to citizenship, both weak here. But budget retirees can live well on $429.70/mo excl. rent plus sub-$320 rent, and the $2,000/mo Retirement KITAS is achievable. Best suited for low-cost-focused retirees, not remote workers facing the $387/mo nomad visa threshold.
$2,671/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Guilin
Guilin is a budget expat haven where a single adult can live comfortably for around $445/mo, but the local average salary of $487/mo means you'll stretch every yuan. The city is safe (crime index 25/100) and cheap, with a restaurant meal at $2 and a cappuccino at $2, but the air quality index of 68 and fair healthcare are real drawbacks. English is common only in tourist areas, so you'll need Mandarin for daily life outside the expat bubble. If you're chasing FIRE, this is a top pick; if you want Western comforts, look elsewhere.
About China
China works for remote workers and business expats fluent in navigating bureaucracy, not retirees seeking an easy landing. Rent outside the city center averages just $238.5/mo, backing the low COL index of 30.7. But with no retirement visa, no digital nomad visa, and an advisory level of 2, getting legal footing here is the real obstacle, not the budget.
$2,665/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
Which visa fits your move?
Compare income thresholds, fees and residency paths for routes in these countries.
Compare visas for these countriesBattle of Lifestyles
Scroll to compare
| Metric | Medan | Guilin |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $230.5 | $223.78 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $89.41 | $149.19 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $488.94 | $522.16 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $209.55 | $372.97 |
| Safety Index | 55 | 75 |
| Internet Speed | 20Mbps | 70.2Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Medan | Guilin |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $354/mo | $365/mo |
| Excluding rent | $265/mo | $216/mo |
| Rent | $89.00/mo | $149/mo |
| Groceries | $89.00/mo | $84.00/mo |
| Dining out | $17.00/mo | $22.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $42.00/mo | $73.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $111/mo | $37.00/mo |
| Transport | $6.00/mo | N/A |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
Planning a move to Guilin? Make sure you have the right visa.
Answer 11 questions and get a personalized visa match in under 2 minutes.
Find my visa →Compare any two visa routes.
Income thresholds, fees, processing time and residency paths, side by side. Search by country, including China and Indonesia.
Compare visas →Medan vs Guilin -- Frequently Asked Questions
Click any question to expand the answer.
Resources for Moving to Guilin
Find hotels in Guilin
Search and compare hotel prices across hundreds of booking sites.
Search hotels →Short-term rentals in Guilin
Browse vacation rentals while you scout neighborhoods for a long-term lease.
Browse rentals →Tours and activities in Guilin
Discover top attractions, day trips, and unique experiences.
Explore activities →eSIM for Guilin
Get connected the moment you land. No physical SIM needed.
Get eSIM →VPN for secure browsing in Guilin
Protect your data and access geo-restricted content while traveling.
Get NordVPN →