Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawasaki and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawasaki and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,543 per month in Kawasaki vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,341 per month in Kawasaki vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,140 per month in Kawasaki vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Kawasaki is about 8% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kawasaki and Medellin sit above the global median – Kawasaki by 13%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.73 ¥1,206

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-3.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.43 ¥6,152

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-17.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 ¥832

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-46.11%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ¥429

$3.13 COP 9,767

-12.14%

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

$1.68 ¥262

$1.91 COP 5,954

-12.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥141

$1.51 COP 4,712

-40.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 ¥502

$3.12 COP 9,747

3.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ¥495

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-44.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥246

$1.44 COP 4,509

9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥250

$2.49 COP 7,759

-35.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 ¥707

$1.77 COP 5,535

155.93%

Eggs

$2.19 ¥341

$2.96 COP 9,235

-26.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.02 ¥1,719

$10.07 COP 31.4K

9.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.33 ¥1,143

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-27.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.89 ¥2,792

$14.30 COP 44.6K

25.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.27 ¥979

$4.14 COP 12.9K

51.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 ¥459

$1.61 COP 5,019

82.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.04 ¥787

$2.25 COP 7,007

124.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.82 ¥908

$2.25 COP 7,028

158.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 ¥533

$2.04 COP 6,375

67.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.40 ¥530

$1.54 COP 4,790

120.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 ¥189

$1.17 COP 3,651

3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥133

$1.31 COP 4,077

-35.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 ¥634

$3.90 COP 12.2K

4.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 ¥1,530

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-30.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ¥365

$1.74 COP 5,439

34.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ¥482

$2.87 COP 8,956

7.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 ¥301

$1.22 COP 3,792

58.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.9 ¥7,948

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-36.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 ¥521

$1.31 COP 4,084

154.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 ¥501

$2.19 COP 6,825

46.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.38 ¥3,023

$8.71 COP 27.2K

122.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥178

$1.37 COP 4,260

-16.79%

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

$22.0K ¥3.4M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-20.97%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-56.42%

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

$132 ¥20.6K

$177 COP 553.2K

-25.48%

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

$23.53 ¥3,671

$13.88 COP 43.3K

69.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.16 ¥5,018

$29.72 COP 92.8K

8.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ¥8,712

$44.88 COP 140.1K

24.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.33 ¥988

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-63.03%

Cinema Ticket

$12.14 ¥1,894

$6.65 COP 20.7K

82.56%

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

$579 ¥90.3K

$813 COP 2.5M

-28.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

65.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 ¥8,169

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-41.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.21 ¥5,181

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-43.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 ¥10.1K

$138 COP 431.2K

-53.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 ¥11.2K

$102 COP 318.7K

-29.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 ¥122.1K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-26.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 ¥90.3K

$663 COP 2.1M

-12.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 ¥202.2K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 ¥162.6K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

1.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,769 ¥744.1K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

14.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,325 ¥518.9K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

98.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,592 ¥404.4K

$678 COP 2.1M

282.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

10.94

-84.83%

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

Last update for Kawasaki: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $782 in Kawasaki versus $1,062 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 282% higher in Kawasaki, 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 $39.00 in Kawasaki versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Kawasaki vs $305 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kawasaki vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 9% more than Kawasaki, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,315 per month in Kawasaki and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kawasaki, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Kawasaki and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,543 in Kawasaki and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kawasaki, where all-in costs run around $1,543, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Kawasaki it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kawasaki costs $1,543 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kawasaki. 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.