Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Atsugi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Atsugi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,142 in Atsugi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $2,094 in Atsugi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $3,045 in Atsugi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 47% more expensive than in Atsugi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Atsugi is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$8.06 ¥1,258

-0.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$26.28 ¥4,103

82.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.30 ¥828

86.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.88 ¥294

66.49%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.00 ¥157

91.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.73 ¥115

106.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.67 ¥417

16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.27 ¥511

75.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.59 ¥249

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.59 ¥249

56.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$4.30 ¥672

-58.84%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.03 ¥318

45.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$15.94 ¥2,489

-36.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.59 ¥717

120.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$12.34 ¥1,926

15.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$5.51 ¥861

-24.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.00 ¥312

-19.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$3.95 ¥616

-43.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.73 ¥426

-17.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.69 ¥420

-24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.03 ¥316

-24.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.16 ¥181

0.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.92 ¥143

42.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.62 ¥566

7.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$9.82 ¥1,534

42.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.66 ¥259

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.22 ¥346

29.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$2.66 ¥415

-54.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$58.7 ¥9,167

37.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.31 ¥517

-60.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$2.96 ¥462

-26.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$9.68 ¥1,511

-10.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.09 ¥170

25.69%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$13.1K ¥2.0M

113.06%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

127.76%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$117 ¥18.2K

52.15%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$14.80 ¥2,312

-6.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$31.54 ¥4,925

-5.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$52.2 ¥8,147

-13.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$7.64 ¥1,193

124.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$11.56 ¥1,805

-42.47%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$320 ¥49.9K

154.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$6,174 ¥964.2K

48.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$41.85 ¥6,535

113.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$24.32 ¥3,797

142.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$54.7 ¥8,534

152.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$32.37 ¥5,055

215.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$515 ¥80.4K

106.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$331 ¥51.6K

100.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,029 ¥160.7K

83.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,269 ¥198.1K

-19.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$3,600 ¥562.2K

16.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,563 ¥244.1K

7.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,867 ¥603.9K

-82.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.66

559.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Atsugi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $515 in Atsugi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atsugi pays 471% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Atsugi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $294 per month, with Atsugi cheaper across the board.

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 Atsugi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Atsugi differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $1,142 including rent). Atsugi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 471% lower in Atsugi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $515 in Atsugi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Atsugi – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,142 in Atsugi – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,142 in Atsugi versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Atsugi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Atsugi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Atsugi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Atsugi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.