Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Asahikawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Asahikawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,210 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,941 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,673 in Asahikawa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Asahikawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Asahikawa is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$6.68 ¥1,043

20.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$32.85 ¥5,130

45.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.18 ¥809

90.93%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.03 ¥474

3.30%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.03 ¥161

85.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.75 ¥117

101.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.31 ¥361

35.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.44 ¥537

67.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.45 ¥226

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.46 ¥228

70.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$4.30 ¥672

-58.84%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.89 ¥294

56.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$10.82 ¥1,689

-6.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.84 ¥1,068

47.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$15.80 ¥2,468

-9.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$5.68 ¥887

-27.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.27 ¥355

-29.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.86 ¥447

-21.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$4.32 ¥674

-47.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.90 ¥454

-29.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.59 ¥405

-40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.38 ¥215

-15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.74 ¥116

77.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.41 ¥689

-11.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$8.11 ¥1,267

72.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.85 ¥289

-5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.17 ¥339

32.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.61 ¥252

-24.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$61.9 ¥9,672

29.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$2.88 ¥451

-54.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.14 ¥491

-30.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$18.83 ¥2,941

-53.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.24 ¥194

10.48%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

27.07%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$13.8K ¥2.1M

159.95%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$145 ¥22.6K

22.28%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$22.25 ¥3,474

-37.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$36.34 ¥5,676

-18.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$47.40 ¥7,402

-5.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$10.54 ¥1,646

-36.91%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$607 ¥94.8K

33.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-30.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$57.8 ¥9,018

54.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$35.96 ¥5,616

63.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$61.8 ¥9,647

123.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$86.3 ¥13.5K

18.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$491 ¥76.6K

116.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$296 ¥46.2K

124.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$971 ¥151.7K

94.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$710 ¥110.9K

44.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$3,277 ¥511.8K

27.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,817 ¥283.7K

-7.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.09

423.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Asahikawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $491 in Asahikawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Asahikawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $301 – making Asahikawa 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 Asahikawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,210 in Asahikawa – roughly 39% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,814 in Asahikawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 30% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $607 in Asahikawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Asahikawa, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Asahikawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,210 in Asahikawa to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Asahikawa. 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.