Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aomori

For one person, living is cheaper in Aomori: $1,219 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Aomori, Japan
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Aomori
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,219
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Aomori

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Aomori actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $1,219 in Aomori.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Aomori $1,219

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $1,911 in Aomori.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Aomori $1,911

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $2,602 in Aomori.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Aomori $2,602

Living in Medellin is roughly 39% more expensive than in Aomori, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Aomori is 10% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Aomori
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 27.0K
$6.20 ¥982
34.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.9K
$32.12 ¥5,090
44.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.7K
$4.93 ¥782
92.09%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.2K
$3.11 ¥493
0.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,728
$1.16 ¥184
52.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,620
$0.79 ¥126
79.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$2.64 ¥418
19.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.5K
$3.14 ¥498
81.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Aomori
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,971
$1.48 ¥235
3.38%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,431
$1.62 ¥256
41.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,308
$4.22 ¥668
-54.03%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,945
$2.10 ¥333
46.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.4K
$10.44 ¥1,654
-4.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.9K
$6.57 ¥1,042
59.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.3K
$16.53 ¥2,620
-15.55%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$3.64 ¥577
11.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,957
$2.28 ¥362
-32.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,825
$2.98 ¥472
-29.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,439
$4.23 ¥670
-45.86%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,841
$2.47 ¥391
-14.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,543
$2.61 ¥414
-34.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,795
$1.23 ¥195
-4.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,125
$0.87 ¥137
81.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.7K
$3.93 ¥622
-0.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.6K
$6.79 ¥1,076
106.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,714
$1.89 ¥299
-6.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,796
$2.10 ¥333
29.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Aomori
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,826
$1.44 ¥227
-18.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 247.4K
$58.0 ¥9,193
31.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,860
$3.14 ¥498
-42.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,906
$2.92 ¥462
-27.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.4K
$18.36 ¥2,910
-55.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,136
$1.02 ¥162
25.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.7M
$21.8K ¥3.4M
58.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.7M
$15.4K ¥2.4M
120.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Aomori
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 576.4K
$137 ¥21.7K
29.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 45.0K
$24.50 ¥3,883
-43.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.7K
$31.77 ¥5,034
-3.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Aomori
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 136.0K
$50.7 ¥8,036
-17.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.2K
$12.86 ¥2,038
-41.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Aomori
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$705 ¥111.7K
12.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.9M
$12.6K ¥2.0M
-2.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Aomori
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 280.0K
$49.60 ¥7,859
74.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 192.2K
$31.35 ¥4,968
89.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 448.7K
$62.5 ¥9,902
121.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 320.5K
$89.4 ¥14.2K
10.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Aomori
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$547 ¥86.6K
145.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$344 ¥54.4K
94.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$998 ¥158.2K
97.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$737 ¥116.8K
40.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.3M
$4,272 ¥677.0K
-4.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$2,317 ¥367.2K
-16.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Aomori
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
2.21
395.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Aomori: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Aomori
$344 48.5% $324
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Aomori
$290 5.6% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Aomori
$193 13% $29
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Aomori
$129 25.3% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Aomori
$105 39.2% $67
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Aomori
$81 12.8% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Aomori
$76 34.3% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Medellin and $547 in Aomori. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $32 in Aomori for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $290 per month, with Aomori cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇯🇵 Aomori
🕒 Local time
20:48 8:48 PM
10:48 10:48 AM
14 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
275,192
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,243 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,627 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.31 USD). 1 EUR = 177 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Aomori 13,600 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Aomori

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Aomori: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and in Aomori?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $1,219 in Aomori, so Aomori is about 28% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Aomori?
You’d need roughly $2,538 in Medellin and $1,828 in Aomori 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 Medellin and in Aomori?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,341 in Medellin versus $547 in Aomori. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Aomori?
Childcare runs $790 in Medellin versus $705 in Aomori. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $2,000 go in Medellin compared to Aomori?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Aomori gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Aomori?
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.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Aomori?
Expats usually find Aomori gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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