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: $1,260 in Kawagoe versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Kawagoe versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Kawagoe versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Kawagoe is roughly 24% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kawagoe 6% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 ¥1,080

$5.95 COP 20.8K

13.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.55 ¥5,526

$33.33 COP 116.3K

3.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 ¥848

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-26.69%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ¥477

$1.63 COP 5,687

82.82%

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

$1.02 ¥163

$1.09 COP 3,821

-6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥127

$0.73 COP 2,548

8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 ¥334

$1.74 COP 6,065

20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-36.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥274

$1.05 COP 3,662

62.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 ¥318

$1.29 COP 4,515

54.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.92 ¥1,267

$1.32 COP 4,617

500.00%

Eggs

$1.50 ¥240

$2.27 COP 7,927

-33.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 ¥1,906

$4.35 COP 15.2K

173.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.37 ¥1,978

$5.88 COP 20.5K

110.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.49 ¥2,638

$8.61 COP 30.0K

91.52%

Apples (1kg)

$7.56 ¥1,210

$2.25 COP 7,844

236.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 ¥424

$1.07 COP 3,733

147.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.55 ¥727

$1.52 COP 5,322

199.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 ¥709

$1.42 COP 4,964

212.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 ¥575

$1.17 COP 4,084

207.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 ¥566

$1.17 COP 4,077

202.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 ¥355

$0.89 COP 3,096

149.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ¥190

$0.90 COP 3,146

32.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥683

$2.25 COP 7,837

89.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 ¥1,314

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-25.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ¥396

$1.14 COP 3,977

117.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ¥557

$2.38 COP 8,301

46.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 ¥259

$0.84 COP 2,916

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.6 ¥8,729

$41.95 COP 146.4K

30.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 ¥542

$1.41 COP 4,912

140.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 ¥477

$1.90 COP 6,634

56.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.63 ¥3,300

$7.75 COP 27.0K

166.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥185

$1.01 COP 3,509

14.85%

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

$24.1K ¥3.9M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

37.28%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-34.76%

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

$83.9 ¥13.4K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

0.26%

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

$10.36 ¥1,657

$9.45 COP 33.0K

9.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.03 ¥2,723

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-29.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 ¥11.5K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

183.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.80 ¥2,208

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-27.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 ¥1,853

$4.10 COP 14.3K

182.68%

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

$287 ¥46.0K

$312 COP 1.1M

-7.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

127.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.49 ¥6,955

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-25.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ¥4,763

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-8.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.5 ¥9,523

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-40.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 ¥15.7K

$109 COP 378.8K

-9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ¥73.4K

$482 COP 1.7M

-4.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ¥53.2K

$379 COP 1.3M

-12.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ¥138.4K

$837 COP 2.9M

3.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 ¥105.2K

$723 COP 2.5M

-9.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ¥394.7K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-13.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,409 ¥385.4K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

96.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,547 ¥247.4K

$541 COP 1.9M

186.03%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $459 in Kawagoe and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kawagoe pays 186% 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 Kawagoe vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 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

Kawagoe vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kawagoe and Medellin differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kawagoe pays 186% 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: $459 in Kawagoe versus $482 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 $35.00 in Kawagoe. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Kawagoe versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,260 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 24% less than in Kawagoe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.