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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Asahikawa vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,930 per month in Asahikawa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,600 per month in Asahikawa vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Asahikawa costs about 24% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Asahikawa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Asahikawa 6% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 ¥1,128

$5.99 COP 21.5K

17.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.30 ¥5,498

$32.86 COP 118.1K

4.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥843

$7.09 COP 25.5K

-25.81%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥489

$1.71 COP 6,155

78.36%

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

$1.10 ¥176

$1.10 COP 3,950

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥120

$0.78 COP 2,799

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 ¥428

$1.68 COP 6,037

58.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ¥515

$3.07 COP 11.0K

4.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥252

$1.09 COP 3,931

44.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.26 COP 4,537

26.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.76 ¥763

$1.38 COP 4,955

244.93%

Eggs

$2.19 ¥351

$2.19 COP 7,878

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 ¥1,605

$4.40 COP 15.8K

127.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ¥1,036

$5.63 COP 20.2K

14.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 ¥2,476

$8.89 COP 32.0K

73.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.38 ¥862

$2.34 COP 8,403

129.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 ¥403

$1.06 COP 3,802

137.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 ¥628

$1.50 COP 5,409

161.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.85 ¥938

$1.38 COP 4,956

323.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 ¥481

$1.15 COP 4,138

160.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ¥411

$1.16 COP 4,183

121.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥214

$0.89 COP 3,203

50.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥135

$0.84 COP 3,016

1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ¥665

$2.28 COP 8,198

82.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.30 ¥1,330

$10.64 COP 38.3K

-21.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ¥309

$1.20 COP 4,312

60.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥344

$2.47 COP 8,882

-12.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥256

$0.86 COP 3,076

86.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.4 ¥8,873

$41.40 COP 148.8K

33.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ¥552

$1.47 COP 5,298

134.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 ¥462

$1.96 COP 7,055

46.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.60 ¥3,301

$7.74 COP 27.8K

166.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥199

$0.95 COP 3,431

30.53%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

25.84%

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

$17.5K ¥2.8M

$26.5K COP 95.2M

-33.92%

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

$144 ¥23.1K

$82.3 COP 295.7K

75.44%

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

$26.66 ¥4,274

$9.50 COP 34.2K

180.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.80 ¥5,418

$24.23 COP 87.1K

39.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ¥8,806

$25.89 COP 93.0K

112.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.62 ¥2,183

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-28.32%

Cinema Ticket

$12.65 ¥2,028

$3.93 COP 14.1K

221.88%

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

$278 ¥44.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

-10.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$5,965 COP 21.4M

126.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.37 ¥6,952

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-26.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.90 ¥4,792

$32.35 COP 116.3K

-7.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ¥9,669

$103 COP 368.8K

-41.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 ¥14.7K

$108 COP 389.7K

-15.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 ¥74.2K

$476 COP 1.7M

-2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥53.7K

$379 COP 1.4M

-11.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 ¥139.4K

$838 COP 3.0M

3.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 ¥107.4K

$724 COP 2.6M

-7.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,829 ¥774.1K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

73.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,679 ¥429.4K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

121.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

13.43

-86.75%

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

Last update for Asahikawa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Asahikawa 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Asahikawa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $315 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

Asahikawa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Asahikawa, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 24% apart. Asahikawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Asahikawa 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $278 per month in Asahikawa and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Asahikawa at $1,260. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asahikawa 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,260 in Asahikawa. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Asahikawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.