Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kitakyushu and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Kitakyushu: $1,250 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kitakyushu, Japan
Medellin, Colombia
Kitakyushu
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,250
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kitakyushu and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kitakyushu and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Kitakyushu vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Kitakyushu $1,250
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $1,923 per month in Kitakyushu vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Kitakyushu $1,923
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $2,596 per month in Kitakyushu vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Kitakyushu $2,596
  • Medellin $3,186

Kitakyushu is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Kitakyushu sits 8% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kitakyushu
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.03 ¥1,107
$8.09 COP 26.1K
-13.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.97 ¥5,193
$47.05 COP 151.7K
-29.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.43 ¥855
$9.50 COP 30.6K
-42.84%
Cappuccino
$3.40 ¥536
$3.01 COP 9,722
12.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 ¥167
$1.80 COP 5,801
-41.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ¥111
$1.41 COP 4,554
-50.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.04 ¥478
$3.18 COP 10.2K
-4.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 ¥343
$5.75 COP 18.5K
-62.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kitakyushu
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.42 ¥224
$1.51 COP 4,869
-5.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.28 ¥201
$2.38 COP 7,667
-46.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.29 ¥833
$1.77 COP 5,712
198.87%
Eggs
$2.20 ¥347
$2.89 COP 9,320
-23.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.42 ¥1,483
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-7.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.25 ¥827
$9.87 COP 31.8K
-46.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.86 ¥2,970
$13.99 COP 45.1K
34.81%
Apples (1kg)
$3.59 ¥565
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-9.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.88 ¥296
$1.55 COP 5,005
21.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 ¥440
$2.18 COP 7,039
27.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.87 ¥453
$2.18 COP 7,041
31.65%
Potato (1kg)
$2.23 ¥351
$1.96 COP 6,328
13.78%
Onion (1kg)
$2.64 ¥416
$1.59 COP 5,125
66.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 ¥165
$1.15 COP 3,694
-8.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 ¥156
$1.24 COP 4,009
-20.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.05 ¥639
$3.96 COP 12.8K
2.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.23 ¥982
$13.68 COP 44.1K
-54.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 ¥258
$1.66 COP 5,352
-1.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ¥270
$2.26 COP 7,281
-23.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Kitakyushu
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.62 ¥255
$1.17 COP 3,766
38.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.8 ¥8,941
$77.4 COP 249.5K
-26.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 ¥626
$1.27 COP 4,089
213.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.04 ¥322
$2.05 COP 6,603
-0.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.83 ¥2,808
$8.55 COP 27.6K
108.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ¥165
$1.35 COP 4,343
-22.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.3K ¥3.2M
$34.1K COP 109.8M
-40.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.4K ¥2.4M
$34.7K COP 111.8M
-55.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kitakyushu
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$196 ¥31.0K
$170 COP 547.0K
15.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.10 ¥3,954
$13.55 COP 43.7K
85.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.21 ¥5,073
$28.07 COP 90.5K
14.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kitakyushu
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.1 ¥8,212
$43.70 COP 140.9K
19.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.22 ¥508
$17.19 COP 55.4K
-81.27%
Cinema Ticket
$12.65 ¥1,992
$6.91 COP 22.3K
83.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kitakyushu
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$379 ¥59.6K
$797 COP 2.6M
-52.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K ¥1.9M
$9,112 COP 29.4M
35.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kitakyushu
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.55 ¥7,648
$84.7 COP 273.2K
-42.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.37 ¥4,153
$58.0 COP 186.9K
-54.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.0 ¥10.6K
$135 COP 435.2K
-50.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.7 ¥8,775
$97.9 COP 315.6K
-43.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kitakyushu
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$555 ¥87.4K
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-54.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$338 ¥53.2K
$642 COP 2.1M
-47.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,005 ¥158.3K
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-50.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$715 ¥112.7K
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-29.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,304 ¥678.0K
$4,170 COP 13.4M
3.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,319 ¥365.2K
$1,910 COP 6.2M
21.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kitakyushu
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,533 ¥241.5K
$657 COP 2.1M
133.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.69
10.94
-84.55%

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

Last update for Kitakyushu: October 24, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kitakyushu
$338
Medellin
$642 90% $304
Groceries & Markets
Kitakyushu
$275
Medellin
$297 8% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kitakyushu
$254
Medellin
$211 16.8% $43
Eating Out
Kitakyushu
$140
Medellin
$170 21.2% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Kitakyushu
$89
Medellin
$169 90% $80
Getting Around
Kitakyushu
$77
Medellin
$94 20.8% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Kitakyushu
$77
Medellin
$58 25.7% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Kitakyushu versus $1,208 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 in Kitakyushu are about 2.3 times higher, 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 $33 in Kitakyushu versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $297 – making Kitakyushu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Kitakyushu
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
01:42 1:42 AM
11:42 11:42 AM
14 h behind Kitakyushu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
939,029
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.35 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kitakyushu Medellin 14,750 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kitakyushu
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kitakyushu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kitakyushu and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Kitakyushu, $1,639 in Medellin – Kitakyushu comes out roughly 24% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Kitakyushu compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Kitakyushu and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kitakyushu and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kitakyushu, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $555 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 8% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Kitakyushu and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How far does $2,000 go in Kitakyushu compared to Medellin?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,250 in Kitakyushu and $1,639 in Medellin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Kitakyushu and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Kitakyushu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,250 in Kitakyushu to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Where should expats move: Kitakyushu or Medellin?
For expats, Kitakyushu is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 24% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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