Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Akita and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Akita: $1,213 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Akita
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,213
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Akita 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 Akita and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,213 per month in Akita vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Akita $1,213
  • Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $1,904 per month in Akita vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Akita $1,904
  • Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $2,596 per month in Akita vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Akita $2,596
  • Medellin $3,199

Akita is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Akita sits 11% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Akita
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.21 ¥981
$8.30 COP 26.3K
-25.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.98 ¥5,052
$46.91 COP 148.7K
-31.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.90 ¥775
$9.24 COP 29.3K
-46.97%
Cappuccino
$3.54 ¥559
$3.05 COP 9,676
16.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 ¥156
$1.80 COP 5,707
-45.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 ¥128
$1.38 COP 4,382
-41.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.93 ¥306
$3.24 COP 10.3K
-40.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 ¥493
$5.56 COP 17.6K
-43.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Akita
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 ¥240
$1.50 COP 4,760
1.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.59 ¥252
$2.37 COP 7,508
-32.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.11 ¥650
$1.70 COP 5,377
141.76%
Eggs
$2.04 ¥323
$2.96 COP 9,379
-31.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 ¥1,610
$10.22 COP 32.4K
-0.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ¥1,031
$9.74 COP 30.9K
-33.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.23 ¥2,565
$13.90 COP 44.1K
16.76%
Apples (1kg)
$3.63 ¥573
$4.13 COP 13.1K
-12.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 ¥355
$1.53 COP 4,839
47.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 ¥448
$2.22 COP 7,052
27.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.20 ¥663
$2.27 COP 7,194
85.02%
Potato (1kg)
$2.43 ¥384
$1.99 COP 6,311
22.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 ¥392
$1.67 COP 5,285
48.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.29 ¥204
$1.18 COP 3,742
9.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ¥127
$1.24 COP 3,919
-34.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.01 ¥634
$3.87 COP 12.3K
3.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.58 ¥1,039
$13.78 COP 43.7K
-52.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 ¥296
$1.66 COP 5,256
13.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 ¥327
$2.40 COP 7,615
-13.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Akita
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.51 ¥239
$1.24 COP 3,944
21.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.0 ¥8,525
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-31.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.19 ¥503
$1.28 COP 4,044
149.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.79 ¥440
$2.15 COP 6,803
29.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.55 ¥2,931
$8.37 COP 26.5K
121.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ¥207
$1.35 COP 4,288
-2.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K ¥3.4M
$34.8K COP 110.2M
-37.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.2K ¥2.4M
$34.7K COP 110.0M
-56.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Akita
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$135 ¥21.3K
$167 COP 528.4K
-19.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.50 ¥3,871
$13.62 COP 43.2K
79.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.46 ¥4,971
$29.12 COP 92.3K
8.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Akita
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.7 ¥8,332
$45.09 COP 143.0K
16.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.84 ¥1,870
$6.97 COP 22.1K
69.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Akita
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$507 ¥80.1K
$790 COP 2.5M
-35.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K ¥2.0M
$9,041 COP 28.7M
40.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Akita
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.47 ¥6,552
$87.8 COP 278.4K
-52.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.21 ¥7,301
$58.2 COP 184.4K
-20.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.7 ¥13.4K
$139 COP 440.7K
-39.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ¥13.9K
$98.9 COP 313.5K
-10.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Akita
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$526 ¥83.1K
$1,028 COP 3.3M
-48.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$336 ¥53.1K
$620 COP 2.0M
-45.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 ¥172.1K
$1,881 COP 6.0M
-42.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$723 ¥114.1K
$1,008 COP 3.2M
-28.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,173 ¥659.3K
$3,988 COP 12.6M
4.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,782 ¥281.5K
$1,702 COP 5.4M
4.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Akita
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,613 ¥254.9K
$663 COP 2.1M
143.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.21
10.94
-79.80%

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

Last update for Akita: October 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Akita
$336
Medellin
$619 84.3% $283
Groceries & Markets
Akita
$285
Medellin
$298 4.4% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Akita
$191
Medellin
$209 9.9% $19
Eating Out
Akita
$130
Medellin
$171 31.5% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Akita
$117
Medellin
$173 47.4% $56
Getting Around
Akita
$77
Medellin
$95 23.4% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Akita
$76
Medellin
$59 22.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Akita versus $1,028 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 143% higher in Akita, 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 $32.00 in Akita versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $298 – making Akita the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Akita
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
19:52 7:52 PM
05:52 5:52 AM
14 h behind Akita
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
307,672
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 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
  • Akita Medellin 13,730 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Akita
  • 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
Akita vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Akita or Medellin?
Medellin costs about 34% more than Akita, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Akita and in Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,819 per month in Akita and $2,437 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Akita or Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Akita, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How expensive is transport in Akita compared to Medellin?
Public transport costs about 45% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Akita and in Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $507 per month in Akita and $790 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Akita or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Akita, where all-in costs run around $1,213, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Akita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Akita or Medellin?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Akita costs $1,213 versus $1,625 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Akita compared to Medellin?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Akita or to Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Akita. 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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