Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyoto and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyoto and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,225 per month in Kyoto vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,966 per month in Kyoto vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,706 per month in Kyoto vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Kyoto is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Kyoto sits 11% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.33 ¥1,483

$7.89 COP 24.2K

18.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.49 ¥5,003

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-29.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 ¥802

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-45.64%

Cappuccino

$3.35 ¥533

$2.90 COP 8,874

15.52%

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

$0.82 ¥130

$1.81 COP 5,541

-54.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥116

$1.55 COP 4,741

-52.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 ¥504

$3.25 COP 9,962

-2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 ¥894

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-4.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ¥248

$1.38 COP 4,230

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥260

$2.45 COP 7,517

-33.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.79 ¥921

$1.51 COP 4,617

283.44%

Eggs

$2.17 ¥344

$2.78 COP 8,516

-21.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 ¥1,330

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-7.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 ¥980

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-42.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.25 ¥1,787

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-23.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 ¥807

$3.97 COP 12.2K

27.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ¥363

$1.38 COP 4,219

65.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.12 ¥814

$2.30 COP 7,056

122.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥562

$2.02 COP 6,185

75.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ¥290

$2.09 COP 6,390

-12.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 ¥258

$1.63 COP 4,996

-0.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ¥180

$1.08 COP 3,313

4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥146

$1.25 COP 3,843

-26.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ¥606

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-5.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 ¥1,178

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-44.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ¥253

$1.60 COP 4,904

-0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ¥513

$3.00 COP 9,189

7.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥224

$1.18 COP 3,611

19.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.5 ¥9,926

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-21.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 ¥528

$1.61 COP 4,920

106.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.83 ¥608

$2.13 COP 6,533

79.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥169

$1.35 COP 4,142

-21.48%

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

$21.8K ¥3.5M

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-23.15%

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

$14.9K ¥2.4M

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-58.23%

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

$103 ¥16.4K

$151 COP 463.8K

-32.02%

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

$23.48 ¥3,730

$13.10 COP 40.1K

79.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.92 ¥4,913

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-4.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 ¥8,363

$46.33 COP 141.9K

13.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.48 ¥2,936

$17.26 COP 52.9K

7.07%

Cinema Ticket

$12.44 ¥1,976

$6.43 COP 19.7K

93.47%

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

$644 ¥102.3K

$835 COP 2.6M

-22.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,480 ¥1.0M

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-27.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ¥8,757

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-38.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.42 ¥7,216

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-17.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 ¥10.9K

$137 COP 418.5K

-49.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ¥16.2K

$109 COP 335.1K

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 ¥90.3K

$952 COP 2.9M

-40.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ¥51.8K

$668 COP 2.0M

-51.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 ¥283.9K

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-11.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 ¥122.6K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-32.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,886 ¥299.6K

$625 COP 1.9M

201.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.23

10.43

-78.62%

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

Last update for Kyoto: August 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $568 in Kyoto versus $952 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 201% higher in Kyoto, 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 $31.00 in Kyoto versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $297 – making Kyoto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kyoto vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,225 in Kyoto, $1,687 in Medellin – roughly 38% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,838 per month in Kyoto and $2,530 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Kyoto and $45.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kyoto, where all-in costs run around $1,225, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Kyoto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kyoto has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,225 in Kyoto to $1,687 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kyoto. 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.