Cost of Living Comparison Between Fukushima and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Fukushima and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,283 in Fukushima versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,002 in Fukushima versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,721 in Fukushima versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Fukushima is roughly 27% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fukushima 4% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,115

$5.99 COP 21.5K

16.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.41 ¥5,997

$32.86 COP 118.1K

13.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ¥1,118

$7.09 COP 25.5K

-1.69%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ¥601

$1.71 COP 6,155

119.30%

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

$0.87 ¥140

$1.10 COP 3,950

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥134

$0.78 COP 2,799

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 ¥407

$1.68 COP 6,037

51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ¥510

$3.07 COP 11.0K

3.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.09 COP 3,931

44.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥254

$1.26 COP 4,537

25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 ¥748

$1.38 COP 4,955

238.41%

Eggs

$2.28 ¥365

$2.19 COP 7,878

4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ¥1,600

$4.40 COP 15.8K

126.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ¥1,002

$5.63 COP 20.2K

11.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.71 ¥2,518

$8.89 COP 32.0K

76.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 ¥857

$2.34 COP 8,403

128.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 ¥424

$1.06 COP 3,802

149.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 ¥626

$1.50 COP 5,409

160.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.03 ¥967

$1.38 COP 4,956

336.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 ¥504

$1.15 COP 4,138

173.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$1.16 COP 4,183

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥212

$0.89 COP 3,203

48.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥133

$0.84 COP 3,016

-1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ¥661

$2.28 COP 8,198

80.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ¥1,260

$10.64 COP 38.3K

-26.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥306

$1.20 COP 4,312

59.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥361

$2.47 COP 8,882

-8.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$0.86 COP 3,076

94.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 ¥8,713

$41.40 COP 148.8K

31.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ¥553

$1.47 COP 5,298

134.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 ¥475

$1.96 COP 7,055

51.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.60 ¥3,302

$7.74 COP 27.8K

166.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$0.95 COP 3,431

23.16%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

27.34%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$26.5K COP 95.2M

-35.06%

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

$146 ¥23.3K

$82.3 COP 295.7K

77.06%

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

$26.64 ¥4,271

$9.50 COP 34.2K

180.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.90 ¥5,433

$24.23 COP 87.1K

39.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ¥9,102

$25.89 COP 93.0K

119.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.69 ¥2,194

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-27.95%

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 ¥1,997

$3.93 COP 14.1K

217.05%

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

$285 ¥45.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

-7.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$5,965 COP 21.4M

126.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.48 ¥6,809

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-27.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 ¥4,644

$32.35 COP 116.3K

-10.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.9 ¥9,448

$103 COP 368.8K

-42.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$108 COP 389.7K

-15.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥76.4K

$476 COP 1.7M

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ¥52.2K

$379 COP 1.4M

-14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 ¥140.5K

$838 COP 3.0M

4.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 ¥104.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

-10.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,247 ¥680.7K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

52.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,300 ¥368.6K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

89.85%

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 Fukushima: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Fukushima and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Fukushima vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Fukushima vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,925 in Fukushima and $1,519 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Fukushima versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Fukushima. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $37.00 in Fukushima. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,283 in Fukushima, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Fukushima. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fukushima, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fukushima and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Fukushima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.