Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawagoe and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawagoe and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,255 in Kawagoe versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,001 in Kawagoe versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Kawagoe versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kawagoe is roughly 25% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kawagoe 6% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.89 ¥1,125

$5.91 COP 18.9K

16.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.45 ¥5,625

$32.96 COP 105.2K

4.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 ¥854

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-29.61%

Cappuccino

$2.91 ¥474

$1.65 COP 5,276

76.36%

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

$1.01 ¥165

$1.10 COP 3,514

-8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥121

$0.78 COP 2,491

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥333

$1.72 COP 5,484

18.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥335

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-35.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥280

$1.10 COP 3,521

55.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 ¥313

$1.26 COP 4,015

52.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,327

$1.38 COP 4,407

488.41%

Eggs

$1.52 ¥248

$2.18 COP 6,950

-30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 ¥1,955

$4.49 COP 14.3K

166.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.36 ¥2,018

$5.79 COP 18.5K

113.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.45 ¥2,686

$8.97 COP 28.6K

83.39%

Apples (1kg)

$7.70 ¥1,257

$2.32 COP 7,405

231.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 ¥411

$1.06 COP 3,397

137.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 ¥741

$1.52 COP 4,838

198.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 ¥733

$1.36 COP 4,327

230.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ¥612

$1.13 COP 3,599

231.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ¥603

$1.17 COP 3,738

215.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥218

$0.90 COP 2,876

47.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ¥194

$0.90 COP 2,861

32.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 ¥713

$2.23 COP 7,128

95.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.89 ¥1,288

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-34.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 ¥427

$1.19 COP 3,793

120.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 ¥573

$2.48 COP 7,920

41.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 ¥265

$0.85 COP 2,723

90.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 ¥8,979

$41.62 COP 132.8K

32.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 ¥555

$1.42 COP 4,518

139.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 ¥493

$1.95 COP 6,223

54.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.58 ¥3,361

$7.89 COP 25.2K

160.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥189

$0.99 COP 3,160

17.17%

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

$24.0K ¥3.9M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

36.18%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-35.81%

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

$85.0 ¥13.9K

$83.0 COP 264.9K

2.37%

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

$10.56 ¥1,725

$9.70 COP 30.9K

8.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.48 ¥2,854

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-25.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.3 ¥11.8K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

186.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.02 ¥2,290

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-26.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.42 ¥1,865

$3.95 COP 12.6K

189.11%

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

$284 ¥46.4K

$316 COP 1.0M

-10.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.2M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

121.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.26 ¥7,064

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-27.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.87 ¥4,878

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-6.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 ¥9,978

$102 COP 324.4K

-39.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 ¥15.5K

$107 COP 342.8K

-11.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 ¥76.5K

$475 COP 1.5M

-1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥54.7K

$374 COP 1.2M

-10.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥140.9K

$849 COP 2.7M

1.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 ¥105.4K

$719 COP 2.3M

-10.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ¥397.0K

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-25.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,036 ¥332.5K

$1,441 COP 4.6M

41.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,523 ¥248.6K

$624 COP 2.0M

143.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-85.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kawagoe: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Kawagoe and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kawagoe pays 144% 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: $34.00 in Kawagoe vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 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

Kawagoe vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kawagoe and Medellin differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,255 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 144% higher in Kawagoe, 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: $468 in Kawagoe versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $34.00 in Kawagoe. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,255 per month in Kawagoe versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,255 in Kawagoe, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kawagoe. 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, Kawagoe 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 25% less than in Kawagoe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.