Cost of Living Comparison Between Asahikawa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Asahikawa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,210 per month in Asahikawa vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,941 per month in Asahikawa vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,673 per month in Asahikawa vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Asahikawa is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Asahikawa sits 12% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 ¥1,043

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-16.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.85 ¥5,130

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-31.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥809

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-47.62%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥474

$3.13 COP 9,873

-3.19%

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

$1.03 ¥161

$1.91 COP 6,019

-46.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥117

$1.51 COP 4,763

-50.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 ¥361

$3.12 COP 9,853

-25.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ¥537

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-40.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ¥226

$1.44 COP 4,558

0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ¥228

$2.49 COP 7,843

-41.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 ¥672

$1.77 COP 5,595

142.94%

Eggs

$1.89 ¥294

$2.96 COP 9,336

-36.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 ¥1,689

$10.07 COP 31.8K

7.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 ¥1,068

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-32.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 ¥2,468

$14.30 COP 45.1K

10.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 ¥887

$4.14 COP 13.0K

37.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ¥355

$1.61 COP 5,073

40.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 ¥447

$2.25 COP 7,083

27.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 ¥674

$2.25 COP 7,104

92.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 ¥454

$2.04 COP 6,444

42.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ¥405

$1.54 COP 4,842

68.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥215

$1.17 COP 3,691

17.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥116

$1.31 COP 4,121

-43.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥689

$3.90 COP 12.3K

13.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 ¥1,267

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥289

$1.74 COP 5,498

6.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ¥339

$2.87 COP 9,053

-24.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥252

$1.22 COP 3,834

31.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 ¥9,672

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-23.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 ¥451

$1.31 COP 4,129

119.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 ¥491

$2.19 COP 6,899

43.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 ¥2,941

$8.71 COP 27.5K

116.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥194

$1.37 COP 4,306

-9.49%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-21.30%

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

$13.8K ¥2.1M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-61.53%

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

$145 ¥22.6K

$177 COP 559.3K

-18.22%

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

$22.25 ¥3,474

$13.88 COP 43.8K

60.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 ¥5,676

$29.72 COP 93.8K

22.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.40 ¥7,402

$44.88 COP 141.6K

5.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 ¥1,646

$6.65 COP 21.0K

58.50%

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

$607 ¥94.8K

$813 COP 2.6M

-25.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$9,187 COP 29.0M

44.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ¥9,018

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-35.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.96 ¥5,616

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-39.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 ¥9,647

$138 COP 435.9K

-55.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 ¥13.5K

$102 COP 322.1K

-15.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ¥76.6K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-53.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ¥46.2K

$663 COP 2.1M

-55.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 ¥151.7K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-48.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 ¥110.9K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-30.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,277 ¥511.8K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-21.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,817 ¥283.7K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

8.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

10.94

-80.90%

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

Last update for Asahikawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Asahikawa versus $1,062 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 $33.00 in Asahikawa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $305 – making Asahikawa 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

Asahikawa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,210 in Asahikawa, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 39% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Asahikawa and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Asahikawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $607 per month in Asahikawa and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Asahikawa, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Asahikawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,210 in Asahikawa to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Asahikawa. 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.