Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibaraki and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibaraki and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,186 in Ibaraki versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,862 in Ibaraki versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,537 in Ibaraki versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Ibaraki is roughly 17% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibaraki 12% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 ¥1,134

$5.95 COP 20.8K

19.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.80 ¥5,566

$33.33 COP 116.3K

4.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥839

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-27.39%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥507

$1.63 COP 5,687

94.48%

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

$1.05 ¥168

$1.09 COP 3,821

-3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥123

$0.73 COP 2,548

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ¥414

$1.74 COP 6,065

48.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥512

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-0.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ¥374

$1.05 COP 3,662

122.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.29 COP 4,515

24.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 ¥546

$1.32 COP 4,617

158.33%

Eggs

$2.30 ¥368

$2.27 COP 7,927

1.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ¥1,632

$4.35 COP 15.2K

134.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 ¥1,026

$5.88 COP 20.5K

9.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.29 ¥2,446

$8.61 COP 30.0K

77.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.29 ¥846

$2.25 COP 7,844

135.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 ¥403

$1.07 COP 3,733

135.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 ¥657

$1.52 COP 5,322

170.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.01 ¥961

$1.42 COP 4,964

323.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 ¥483

$1.17 COP 4,084

158.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 ¥431

$1.17 COP 4,077

130.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥215

$0.89 COP 3,096

50.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥125

$0.90 COP 3,146

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ¥670

$2.25 COP 7,837

86.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 ¥1,330

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-24.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 ¥418

$1.14 COP 3,977

129.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ¥349

$2.38 COP 8,301

-8.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 ¥294

$0.84 COP 2,916

119.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 ¥8,973

$41.95 COP 146.4K

33.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ¥836

$1.41 COP 4,912

270.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 ¥468

$1.90 COP 6,634

54.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.68 ¥3,308

$7.75 COP 27.0K

166.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥199

$1.01 COP 3,509

23.76%

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

$23.4K ¥3.7M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

33.14%

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

$17.1K ¥2.7M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-35.55%

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

$145 ¥23.3K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

73.76%

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

$26.69 ¥4,268

$9.45 COP 33.0K

182.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.05 ¥5,446

$24.11 COP 84.1K

41.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 ¥9,069

$25.31 COP 88.3K

124.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.89 ¥2,221

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-27.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,976

$4.10 COP 14.3K

201.46%

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

$279 ¥44.7K

$312 COP 1.1M

-10.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

120.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.50 ¥4,718

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-49.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.65 ¥4,742

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-8.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 ¥11.5K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-27.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ¥13.8K

$109 COP 378.8K

-20.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ¥68.8K

$482 COP 1.7M

-10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ¥45.6K

$379 COP 1.3M

-24.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 ¥137.6K

$837 COP 2.9M

2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 ¥91.4K

$723 COP 2.5M

-20.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,080 ¥652.6K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

43.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,478 ¥396.4K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

102.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,548 ¥407.5K

$541 COP 1.9M

371.03%

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 Ibaraki: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Ibaraki and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ibaraki pays 371% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ibaraki vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $190 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

Ibaraki vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibaraki and Medellin differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,186 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ibaraki pays 371% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Ibaraki versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Ibaraki. 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 $35.00 in Ibaraki. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,186 in Ibaraki, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ibaraki. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ibaraki 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 17% less than in Ibaraki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.