Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Akita Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Akita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,193 in Akita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,870 in Akita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,547 in Akita, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Akita, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Akita is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$6.28 ¥965

28.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$30.87 ¥4,740

56.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$4.87 ¥748

93.43%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.89 ¥444

1.73%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.96 ¥148

93.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.78 ¥120

87.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.92 ¥295

67.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.09 ¥475

84.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.42 ¥219

1.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.53 ¥235

56.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$4.03 ¥618

-57.82%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.04 ¥313

41.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.32 ¥1,738

-11.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.35 ¥975

57.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$17.21 ¥2,642

-17.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.97 ¥763

-19.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.27 ¥348

-30.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.05 ¥469

-29.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.13 ¥635

-44.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.53 ¥389

-20.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.24 ¥344

-32.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.27 ¥195

-5.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.78 ¥119

64.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.90 ¥599

-1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.62 ¥1,170

83.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.86 ¥286

-8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.04 ¥313

34.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.43 ¥220

-12.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$57.0 ¥8,756

36.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$3.21 ¥493

-59.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$2.87 ¥440

-24.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$18.60 ¥2,857

-55.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.32 ¥202

3.03%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

28.83%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

137.93%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$129 ¥19.8K

30.68%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$23.41 ¥3,595

-42.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$31.00 ¥4,761

-8.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$50.2 ¥7,704

-8.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$12.13 ¥1,862

-45.18%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$538 ¥82.6K

49.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$13.0K ¥2.0M

-29.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$41.53 ¥6,377

110.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$31.48 ¥4,834

88.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$86.0 ¥13.2K

61.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$89.7 ¥13.8K

13.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$471 ¥72.3K

127.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$319 ¥49.0K

104.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,082 ¥166.1K

77.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$733 ¥112.5K

42.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$4,301 ¥660.4K

-4.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,878 ¥288.4K

-9.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,590 ¥244.2K

-58.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.06

431.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Akita: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $471 in Akita. 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 143% higher in Akita, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Akita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $298 – making Akita 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

Medellin vs Akita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 38% more than Akita, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,790 in Akita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 37% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $538 in Akita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Akita, where all-in costs run around $1,193, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Akita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Akita costs $1,193 versus $1,641 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Akita. 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.