🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,191 in Koriyama versus $1,716 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,875 in Koriyama versus $2,527 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,560 in Koriyama versus $3,338 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Koriyama costs roughly 31% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Koriyama is 13% below, Medellin is 25% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Koriyama
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.03¥939
$8.03COP 25.2K
-24.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.13¥4,534
$48.26COP 151.7K
-39.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.73¥736
$9.77COP 30.7K
-51.59%
Cappuccino
$3.10¥482
$2.91COP 9,149
6.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08¥168
$1.94COP 6,110
-44.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71¥111
$1.52COP 4,783
-53.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.81¥437
$3.09COP 9,721
-9.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08¥479
$5.74COP 18.1K
-46.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Koriyama
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.39¥216
$1.36COP 4,287
2.21%
White Bread(500g)
$1.69¥263
$2.39COP 7,505
-29.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.55¥709
$1.70COP 5,346
167.65%
Eggs
$2.10¥327
$2.87COP 9,021
-26.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.31¥1,604
$9.94COP 31.2K
3.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.14¥955
$10.78COP 33.9K
-43.04%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.22¥2,524
$14.73COP 46.3K
10.12%
Apples(1kg)
$4.74¥738
$4.09COP 12.8K
15.89%
Banana(1kg)
$2.54¥395
$1.57COP 4,940
61.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.28¥511
$2.13COP 6,682
53.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.64¥722
$2.21COP 6,959
109.95%
Potato(1kg)
$2.28¥354
$2.05COP 6,435
11.22%
Onion(1kg)
$2.19¥342
$1.50COP 4,728
46.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.30¥203
$1.19COP 3,740
9.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69¥107
$1.16COP 3,640
-40.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.47¥540
$3.90COP 12.2K
-11.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.56¥1,333
$14.44COP 45.4K
-40.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91¥297
$1.58COP 4,978
20.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07¥322
$2.83COP 8,889
-26.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Koriyama
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.58¥246
$1.17COP 3,672
35.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$55.4¥8,619
$77.7COP 244.3K
-28.75%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12¥486
$1.28COP 4,038
143.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.07¥478
$2.09COP 6,576
46.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.11¥2,662
$8.62COP 27.1K
98.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.03¥161
$1.30COP 4,080
-20.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.1K¥3.6M
$27.7KCOP 86.9M
-16.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$14.0K¥2.2M
$35.5KCOP 111.6M
-60.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koriyama
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$119¥18.6K
$176COP 553.4K
-32.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.87¥3,560
$13.37COP 42.0K
71.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.41¥4,422
$29.89COP 94.0K
-4.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Koriyama
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.0¥8,091
$44.76COP 140.7K
16.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.06COP 53.6K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.21¥1,900
$6.20COP 19.5K
96.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Koriyama
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$611¥95.0K
$793COP 2.5M
-23.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.1K¥1.7M
$9,019COP 28.4M
22.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Koriyama
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.1¥7,792
$85.6COP 269.1K
-41.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.42¥4,267
$58.5COP 183.8K
-53.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$54.3¥8,457
$136COP 428.4K
-60.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101¥15.7K
$103COP 324.1K
-2.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Koriyama
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$433¥67.3K
$1,060COP 3.3M
-59.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$352¥54.8K
$680COP 2.1M
-48.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063¥165.4K
$2,012COP 6.3M
-47.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$631¥98.2K
$1,169COP 3.7M
-46.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,291¥667.8K
$4,111COP 12.9M
4.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,813¥282.1K
$1,701COP 5.3M
6.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Koriyama
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$665COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.06
10.94
-81.17%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Koriyama: August 29, 2026
Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Koriyama and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $29.00 in Koriyama vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $303 per month, with Koriyama 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
Koriyama vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Koriyama and in Medellin?
Koriyama and Medellin differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,191 vs $1,716 including rent). Koriyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Koriyama compared to Medellin?
You'd need roughly $1,786 in Koriyama and $2,574 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Koriyama and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $433 in Koriyama versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Koriyama and in Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Koriyama runs roughly 40% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Koriyama and Medellin?
Childcare runs $611 in Koriyama versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,191 in Koriyama versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koriyama but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Koriyama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Koriyama and Medellin?
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.
Is Koriyama or Medellin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Koriyama 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.
Where should expats move: Koriyama or Medellin?
Expats usually find Koriyama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.