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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,304 per month in Kyoto vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,171 per month in Kyoto vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,039 per month in Kyoto vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Kyoto costs about 26% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kyoto and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Kyoto 3% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.47 ¥1,670

$5.92 COP 21.5K

76.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.21 ¥5,617

$32.75 COP 119.1K

7.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 ¥899

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-21.81%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥542

$1.70 COP 6,186

99.41%

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

$0.91 ¥146

$1.10 COP 3,996

-17.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥127

$0.72 COP 2,625

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 ¥542

$1.67 COP 6,067

103.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 ¥1,044

$3.10 COP 11.3K

110.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ¥269

$1.06 COP 3,837

58.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ¥272

$1.25 COP 4,531

36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 ¥512

$1.39 COP 5,060

130.94%

Eggs

$2.35 ¥374

$2.26 COP 8,229

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 ¥1,551

$4.33 COP 15.8K

124.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 ¥1,195

$5.84 COP 21.2K

28.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 ¥2,511

$8.83 COP 32.1K

78.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 ¥900

$2.24 COP 8,159

151.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ¥398

$1.08 COP 3,911

131.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 ¥1,023

$1.53 COP 5,563

318.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 ¥633

$1.37 COP 4,987

189.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 ¥251

$1.13 COP 4,109

38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 ¥364

$1.12 COP 4,067

103.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥206

$0.85 COP 3,080

51.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥162

$0.91 COP 3,305

10.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 ¥650

$2.33 COP 8,477

74.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.49 ¥1,194

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-32.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥287

$1.19 COP 4,342

51.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ¥568

$2.37 COP 8,617

50.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 ¥262

$0.79 COP 2,859

107.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.8 ¥11.1K

$41.13 COP 149.6K

69.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ¥566

$1.44 COP 5,223

146.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 ¥481

$1.91 COP 6,952

58.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.89 ¥2,854

$8.02 COP 29.2K

123.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥197

$0.94 COP 3,410

31.91%

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

29.19%

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

$17.2K ¥2.7M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-35.76%

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

$111 ¥17.7K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

32.31%

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

$26.83 ¥4,281

$9.60 COP 34.9K

179.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.16 ¥5,291

$24.16 COP 87.9K

37.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 ¥9,074

$25.88 COP 94.1K

119.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.95 ¥3,342

$19.04 COP 69.3K

10.03%

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 ¥2,130

$3.92 COP 14.2K

240.56%

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

$367 ¥58.6K

$306 COP 1.1M

19.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,478 ¥1.2M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

26.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.39 ¥7,401

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-19.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.67 ¥5,053

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-0.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 ¥11.6K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-27.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 ¥14.4K

$107 COP 389.7K

-15.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 ¥91.7K

$487 COP 1.8M

18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 ¥54.8K

$368 COP 1.3M

-6.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 ¥263.3K

$826 COP 3.0M

99.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 ¥150.3K

$716 COP 2.6M

31.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,882 ¥300.3K

$546 COP 2.0M

245.04%

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 Kyoto: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in Kyoto versus $487 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 245% higher in Kyoto, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Kyoto versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $190 – making Medellin 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: $1,304 in Kyoto, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 26% apart. Kyoto costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,955 per month in Kyoto and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 67% more in Kyoto, 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 $35.00 in Kyoto and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Kyoto at $1,304. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kyoto 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 $1,034 in Medellin to $1,304 in Kyoto. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kyoto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.