🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,194 in Ichihara versus $1,716 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,920 in Ichihara versus $2,527 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,646 in Ichihara versus $3,338 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Ichihara costs roughly 30% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ichihara is 13% below, Medellin is 25% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ichihara
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.21¥967
$8.03COP 25.2K
-22.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.25¥6,887
$48.26COP 151.7K
-8.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.90¥762
$9.77COP 30.7K
-49.85%
Cappuccino
$3.31¥515
$2.91COP 9,149
13.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04¥162
$1.94COP 6,110
-46.39%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79¥123
$1.52COP 4,783
-48.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.45¥382
$3.09COP 9,721
-20.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20¥497
$5.74COP 18.1K
-44.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ichihara
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43¥223
$1.36COP 4,287
5.15%
White Bread(500g)
$1.72¥268
$2.39COP 7,505
-28.03%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.57¥555
$1.70COP 5,346
110.00%
Eggs
$2.04¥318
$2.87COP 9,021
-28.92%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.51¥1,791
$9.94COP 31.2K
15.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84¥909
$10.78COP 33.9K
-45.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.47¥2,252
$14.73COP 46.3K
-1.77%
Apples(1kg)
$5.53¥861
$4.09COP 12.8K
35.21%
Banana(1kg)
$2.69¥418
$1.57COP 4,940
71.34%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.83¥441
$2.13COP 6,682
32.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.10¥638
$2.21COP 6,959
85.52%
Potato(1kg)
$2.61¥406
$2.05COP 6,435
27.32%
Onion(1kg)
$2.53¥394
$1.50COP 4,728
68.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.28¥199
$1.19COP 3,740
7.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80¥124
$1.16COP 3,640
-31.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.83¥595
$3.90COP 12.2K
-1.79%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.44¥1,002
$14.44COP 45.4K
-55.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79¥278
$1.58COP 4,978
13.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02¥314
$2.83COP 8,889
-28.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Ichihara
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.31¥203
$1.17COP 3,672
11.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$49.86¥7,760
$77.7COP 244.3K
-35.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04¥473
$1.28COP 4,038
137.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.54¥395
$2.09COP 6,576
21.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.21¥3,146
$8.62COP 27.1K
134.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.06¥165
$1.30COP 4,080
-18.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K¥3.3M
$27.7KCOP 86.9M
-24.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.4K¥2.9M
$35.5KCOP 111.6M
-48.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ichihara
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$130¥20.3K
$176COP 553.4K
-26.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.88¥3,716
$13.37COP 42.0K
78.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.39¥4,885
$29.89COP 94.0K
5.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ichihara
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.15¥7,183
$44.76COP 140.7K
3.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.06COP 53.6K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.28¥1,911
$6.20COP 19.5K
98.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ichihara
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$630¥98.0K
$793COP 2.5M
-20.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.4K¥2.2M
$9,019COP 28.4M
59.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ichihara
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.7¥9,441
$85.6COP 269.1K
-29.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.75¥4,942
$58.5COP 183.8K
-45.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$60.3¥9,380
$136COP 428.4K
-55.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102¥15.9K
$103COP 324.1K
-0.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ichihara
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$511¥79.5K
$1,060COP 3.3M
-51.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$353¥54.9K
$680COP 2.1M
-48.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$918¥142.8K
$2,012COP 6.3M
-54.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$648¥100.8K
$1,169COP 3.7M
-44.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,673¥727.3K
$4,111COP 12.9M
13.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,097¥326.3K
$1,701COP 5.3M
23.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ichihara
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$665COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.12
10.94
-80.62%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ichihara: August 30, 2026
Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Ichihara and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $44.00 in Ichihara vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $303 per month, with Ichihara 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
Ichihara vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Ichihara?
Ichihara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,791 in Ichihara and $2,574 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.
What is the rent difference between Ichihara and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $511 in Ichihara versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $630 in Ichihara versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Ichihara and in Medellin?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ichihara or in Medellin?
At $1,194 in Ichihara versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ichihara but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ichihara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ichihara or Medellin more family-friendly?
For families, Ichihara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ichihara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.