Cost of Living Comparison Between Kobe and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kobe and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,225 in Kobe versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,891 in Kobe versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,557 in Kobe versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Kobe is roughly 20% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kobe 9% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.39 ¥1,341

$5.95 COP 20.8K

41.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.77 ¥4,442

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-16.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥761

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-34.16%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ¥480

$1.63 COP 5,687

84.05%

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

$0.93 ¥149

$1.09 COP 3,821

-14.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥119

$0.73 COP 2,548

2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ¥379

$1.74 COP 6,065

36.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ¥495

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-4.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥260

$1.05 COP 3,662

55.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥204

$1.29 COP 4,515

-0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 ¥751

$1.32 COP 4,617

256.06%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥270

$2.27 COP 7,927

-25.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.90 ¥2,223

$4.35 COP 15.2K

219.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 ¥1,211

$5.88 COP 20.5K

28.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 ¥2,482

$8.61 COP 30.0K

80.26%

Apples (1kg)

$8.86 ¥1,418

$2.25 COP 7,844

293.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 ¥460

$1.07 COP 3,733

169.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.99 ¥799

$1.52 COP 5,322

228.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.85 ¥1,576

$1.42 COP 4,964

593.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 ¥612

$1.17 COP 4,084

227.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 ¥426

$1.17 COP 4,077

127.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥220

$0.89 COP 3,096

55.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ¥228

$0.90 COP 3,146

58.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ¥545

$2.25 COP 7,837

51.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 ¥1,302

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-26.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ¥446

$1.14 COP 3,977

144.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ¥367

$2.38 COP 8,301

-3.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$0.84 COP 2,916

76.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.62 ¥6,178

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-7.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 ¥546

$1.41 COP 4,912

141.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ¥215

$1.90 COP 6,634

-29.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.25 ¥2,758

$7.75 COP 27.0K

122.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.01 COP 3,509

21.78%

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

$22.0K ¥3.5M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

24.87%

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

$14.4K ¥2.3M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-45.61%

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

$142 ¥22.7K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

69.72%

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

$26.93 ¥4,308

$9.45 COP 33.0K

184.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.26 ¥5,480

$24.11 COP 84.1K

42.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.39 ¥7,580

$25.31 COP 88.3K

87.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.63 ¥3,300

$19.14 COP 66.8K

7.78%

Cinema Ticket

$12.67 ¥2,027

$4.10 COP 14.3K

209.02%

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

$349 ¥55.8K

$312 COP 1.1M

11.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ¥1.8M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

92.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.18 ¥7,227

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-22.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.10 ¥5,133

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-1.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.48 ¥6,315

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-60.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.75 ¥7,637

$109 COP 378.8K

-56.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ¥77.4K

$482 COP 1.7M

0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ¥49.3K

$379 COP 1.3M

-18.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 ¥112.1K

$837 COP 2.9M

-16.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥95.0K

$723 COP 2.5M

-17.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,231 ¥676.7K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

48.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,881 ¥460.8K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

135.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,766 ¥282.4K

$541 COP 1.9M

226.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

13.43

-86.75%

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

Last update for Kobe: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Kobe and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kobe pays 226% 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: $28.00 in Kobe vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $386 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Kobe vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Kobe. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Kobe pays 226% 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: $484 in Kobe versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 9% less than in Kobe. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $349 in Kobe versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,225 in Kobe, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kobe. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,017 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kobe 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 20% less than in Kobe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.