Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumamoto and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kumamoto and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,268 in Kumamoto versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,969 in Kumamoto versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,670 in Kumamoto versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Kumamoto is roughly 23% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kumamoto 5% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 ¥1,392

$6.16 COP 20.1K

39.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 ¥5,693

$32.60 COP 106.1K

7.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 ¥979

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-17.85%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥499

$1.72 COP 5,599

78.49%

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

$0.70 ¥114

$1.05 COP 3,420

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥134

$0.77 COP 2,515

7.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 ¥263

$1.69 COP 5,487

-4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥341

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-33.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ¥219

$1.05 COP 3,423

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥269

$1.30 COP 4,236

26.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 ¥663

$1.40 COP 4,544

191.43%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥341

$2.16 COP 7,046

-2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 ¥1,650

$4.39 COP 14.3K

131.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 ¥1,023

$5.88 COP 19.1K

7.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.78 ¥3,376

$8.64 COP 28.1K

140.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ¥503

$2.28 COP 7,425

35.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥228

$1.11 COP 3,603

27.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ¥230

$1.53 COP 4,982

-7.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.96 ¥968

$1.35 COP 4,410

341.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 ¥460

$1.13 COP 3,674

150.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 ¥507

$1.13 COP 3,692

176.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ¥147

$0.85 COP 2,753

7.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥120

$0.91 COP 2,975

-18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 ¥641

$2.34 COP 7,629

68.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.47 ¥889

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-55.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ¥321

$1.20 COP 3,909

65.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥333

$2.49 COP 8,104

-17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥261

$0.84 COP 2,727

91.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.1 ¥8,948

$40.57 COP 132.1K

35.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 ¥766

$1.42 COP 4,623

232.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 ¥469

$1.92 COP 6,235

50.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.40 ¥3,153

$7.66 COP 24.9K

153.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥200

$0.99 COP 3,223

24.24%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

30.92%

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

$19.6K ¥3.2M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-26.25%

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

$214 ¥34.8K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

164.94%

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

$26.96 ¥4,380

$9.95 COP 32.4K

170.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.22 ¥5,884

$24.18 COP 78.7K

49.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 ¥9,112

$25.08 COP 81.6K

123.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥2,282

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-26.68%

Cinema Ticket

$13.83 ¥2,246

$3.98 COP 13.0K

247.49%

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

$409 ¥66.5K

$305 COP 993.4K

34.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

118.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.67 ¥6,933

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-26.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.61 ¥4,810

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-8.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 ¥10.6K

$101 COP 327.9K

-35.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 ¥9,978

$108 COP 350.8K

-43.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 ¥75.1K

$477 COP 1.6M

-3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ¥53.5K

$376 COP 1.2M

-12.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 ¥141.0K

$845 COP 2.7M

2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 ¥108.2K

$730 COP 2.4M

-8.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,816 ¥620.1K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

18.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 ¥295.1K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

32.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

13.43

-87.57%

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

Last update for Kumamoto: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $462 in Kumamoto and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Kumamoto vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $193 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

Kumamoto vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kumamoto and Medellin differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,268 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,902 in Kumamoto and $1,546 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $462 in Kumamoto versus $477 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 36% less than in Kumamoto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $409 in Kumamoto versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,268 in Kumamoto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kumamoto. 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, Kumamoto 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 23% less than in Kumamoto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.