Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hiroshima and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Hiroshima: $961 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hiroshima
🇯🇵 Japan
$961
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $961 per month in Hiroshima vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Hiroshima $961
  • Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $1,557 per month in Hiroshima vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Hiroshima $1,557
  • Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $2,152 per month in Hiroshima vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Hiroshima $2,152
  • Medellin $3,199

Hiroshima is about 41% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Hiroshima sits 29% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hiroshima
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.13 ¥969
$8.30 COP 26.3K
-26.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.92 ¥5,043
$46.91 COP 148.7K
-31.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.07 ¥801
$9.24 COP 29.3K
-45.13%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ¥429
$3.05 COP 9,676
-10.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 ¥152
$1.80 COP 5,707
-46.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ¥109
$1.38 COP 4,382
-50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.74 ¥433
$3.24 COP 10.3K
-15.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ¥582
$5.56 COP 17.6K
-33.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hiroshima
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 ¥236
$1.50 COP 4,760
-0.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 ¥240
$2.37 COP 7,508
-35.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.74 ¥748
$1.70 COP 5,377
178.82%
Eggs
$2.07 ¥327
$2.96 COP 9,379
-30.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.11 ¥808
$10.22 COP 32.4K
-50.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.18 ¥976
$9.74 COP 30.9K
-36.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ¥1,722
$13.90 COP 44.1K
-21.58%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 ¥522
$4.13 COP 13.1K
-19.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 ¥313
$1.53 COP 4,839
29.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.77 ¥595
$2.22 COP 7,052
69.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.72 ¥588
$2.27 COP 7,194
63.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ¥238
$1.99 COP 6,311
-24.12%
Onion (1kg)
$3.45 ¥545
$1.67 COP 5,285
106.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 ¥214
$1.18 COP 3,742
14.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 ¥130
$1.24 COP 3,919
-33.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.00 ¥631
$3.87 COP 12.3K
3.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.70 ¥1,217
$13.78 COP 43.7K
-44.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 ¥303
$1.66 COP 5,256
15.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 ¥392
$2.40 COP 7,615
3.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Hiroshima
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.84 ¥290
$1.24 COP 3,944
48.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.79 ¥5,181
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-58.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.68 ¥581
$1.28 COP 4,044
187.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 ¥192
$2.15 COP 6,803
-43.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.43 ¥3,386
$8.37 COP 26.5K
156.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ¥174
$1.35 COP 4,288
-18.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ¥3.4M
$34.8K COP 110.2M
-37.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$14.8K ¥2.3M
$34.7K COP 110.0M
-57.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hiroshima
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$139 ¥21.9K
$167 COP 528.4K
-16.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.17 ¥3,818
$13.62 COP 43.2K
77.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.93 ¥4,887
$29.12 COP 92.3K
6.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hiroshima
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 ¥8,315
$45.09 COP 143.0K
16.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.65 ¥734
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-72.93%
Cinema Ticket
$12.72 ¥2,009
$6.97 COP 22.1K
82.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hiroshima
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$155 ¥24.5K
$790 COP 2.5M
-80.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,400 ¥537.2K
$9,041 COP 28.7M
-62.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hiroshima
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.67 ¥4,529
$87.8 COP 278.4K
-67.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.54 ¥3,877
$58.2 COP 184.4K
-57.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$47.85 ¥7,560
$139 COP 440.7K
-65.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.0 ¥10.1K
$98.9 COP 313.5K
-35.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hiroshima
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$241 ¥38.1K
$1,028 COP 3.3M
-76.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$186 ¥29.3K
$620 COP 2.0M
-70.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$618 ¥97.7K
$1,881 COP 6.0M
-67.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$508 ¥80.2K
$1,008 COP 3.2M
-49.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,058 ¥483.1K
$3,988 COP 12.6M
-23.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,406 ¥222.2K
$1,702 COP 5.4M
-17.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hiroshima
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,973 ¥311.8K
$663 COP 2.1M
197.48%
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 Hiroshima: October 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Hiroshima
$255
Medellin
$298 16.8% $43
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hiroshima
$194
Medellin
$209 7.9% $15
Accommodation & Living
Hiroshima
$186
Medellin
$619 234% $434
Eating Out
Hiroshima
$125
Medellin
$171 37.2% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Hiroshima
$78
Medellin
$59 24.4% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Hiroshima
$74
Medellin
$173 133% $98
Getting Around
Hiroshima
$50
Medellin
$95 90.8% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Hiroshima 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 197% higher in Hiroshima, 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 Hiroshima versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $298 – making Hiroshima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Hiroshima
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
10:13 10:13 AM
20:13 8:13 PM
14 h behind Hiroshima
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,200,754
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 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 21, 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
  • Hiroshima Medellin 14,620 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hiroshima
  • 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
Hiroshima vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hiroshima or Medellin?
Medellin costs about 69% more than Hiroshima, 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 Hiroshima and in Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,442 per month in Hiroshima 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, Hiroshima or Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hiroshima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Hiroshima compared to Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $961 in Hiroshima and $1,625 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 69%.
How expensive is transport in Hiroshima compared to Medellin?
Public transport costs about 139% less in Hiroshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Hiroshima or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hiroshima, where all-in costs run around $961, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Hiroshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Hiroshima or Medellin?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hiroshima costs $961 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 Hiroshima 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 Hiroshima or to Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Hiroshima. 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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