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: $1,263 in Fukushima versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,991 in Fukushima versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,718 in Fukushima versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Fukushima is roughly 23% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fukushima 5% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 ¥1,121

$6.16 COP 20.1K

12.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.55 ¥5,939

$32.60 COP 106.1K

12.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ¥1,152

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-3.41%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ¥612

$1.72 COP 5,599

119.19%

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

$0.91 ¥147

$1.05 COP 3,420

-13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥132

$0.77 COP 2,515

5.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ¥425

$1.69 COP 5,487

55.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ¥498

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-3.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥258

$1.05 COP 3,423

51.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ¥251

$1.30 COP 4,236

19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 ¥792

$1.40 COP 4,544

247.86%

Eggs

$2.21 ¥359

$2.16 COP 7,046

2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 ¥1,659

$4.39 COP 14.3K

132.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ¥1,057

$5.88 COP 19.1K

10.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.38 ¥2,498

$8.64 COP 28.1K

78.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ¥853

$2.28 COP 7,425

130.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 ¥411

$1.11 COP 3,603

127.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 ¥641

$1.53 COP 4,982

157.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.02 ¥977

$1.35 COP 4,410

345.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 ¥495

$1.13 COP 3,674

169.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 ¥420

$1.13 COP 3,692

128.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥224

$0.85 COP 2,753

62.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥138

$0.91 COP 2,975

-6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.34 COP 7,629

74.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.49 ¥1,217

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-39.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥309

$1.20 COP 3,909

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ¥353

$2.49 COP 8,104

-12.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥272

$0.84 COP 2,727

98.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ¥8,893

$40.57 COP 132.1K

34.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥567

$1.42 COP 4,623

145.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 ¥488

$1.92 COP 6,235

56.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.66 ¥3,356

$7.66 COP 24.9K

169.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥200

$0.99 COP 3,223

24.24%

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

$23.4K ¥3.8M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

30.04%

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

$17.0K ¥2.8M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-36.04%

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

$145 ¥23.6K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

79.62%

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

$27.39 ¥4,449

$9.95 COP 32.4K

175.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.20 ¥5,557

$24.18 COP 78.7K

41.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ¥9,136

$25.08 COP 81.6K

124.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.97 ¥2,270

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-27.05%

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 ¥1,989

$3.98 COP 13.0K

207.54%

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

$285 ¥46.3K

$305 COP 993.4K

-6.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

125.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.31 ¥7,037

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-25.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 ¥4,709

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-10.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 ¥9,866

$101 COP 327.9K

-39.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 ¥14.9K

$108 COP 350.8K

-14.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ¥76.9K

$477 COP 1.6M

-0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ¥52.5K

$376 COP 1.2M

-14.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 ¥141.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

3.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 ¥104.9K

$730 COP 2.4M

-11.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,918 ¥799.1K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

52.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 ¥378.9K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

69.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Fukushima and $477 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 $315 vs $193 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,895 in Fukushima and $1,546 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: $473 in Fukushima versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% 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 $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,263 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 23% less than in Fukushima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.