Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fukuoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fukuoka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,221 in Fukuoka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,934 in Fukuoka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,647 in Fukuoka, rent included.

Medellin costs about 34% more than Fukuoka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Fukuoka is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$7.34 ¥1,126

9.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$43.73 ¥6,715

10.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.84 ¥897

61.30%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.44 ¥528

-14.53%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.07 ¥165

73.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.69 ¥107

111.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.91 ¥600

-17.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.24 ¥343

154.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.66 ¥254

-13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.95 ¥300

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$6.52 ¥1,002

-73.93%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.26 ¥347

27.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$18.52 ¥2,844

-45.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.48 ¥842

81.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$19.17 ¥2,943

-25.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.75 ¥576

6.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.91 ¥294

-17.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.91 ¥446

-26.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.35 ¥515

-31.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.29 ¥351

-12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.57 ¥394

-41.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.09 ¥167

10.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.98 ¥151

30.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.95 ¥606

-2.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$6.57 ¥1,010

113.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.68 ¥258

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.86 ¥286

47.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.65 ¥253

-24.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$42.79 ¥6,571

82.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$3.96 ¥608

-66.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$2.13 ¥327

1.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$18.49 ¥2,839

-55.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.08 ¥166

25.93%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$22.0K ¥3.4M

24.80%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$18.1K ¥2.8M

101.89%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$189 ¥29.0K

-10.78%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$25.84 ¥3,967

-47.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$33.81 ¥5,192

-16.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$51.6 ¥7,920

-11.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$11.15 ¥1,712

-40.36%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$129 ¥19.9K

520.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$12.8K ¥2.0M

-28.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$35.12 ¥5,393

148.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$24.57 ¥3,773

141.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$57.9 ¥8,884

140.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$48.42 ¥7,435

110.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$479 ¥73.5K

123.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$266 ¥40.9K

145.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,151 ¥176.8K

67.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$695 ¥106.8K

50.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$5,769 ¥885.8K

-28.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,546 ¥391.0K

-33.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$2,787 ¥428.0K

-76.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.54

610.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Fukuoka: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $479 in Fukuoka. 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 326% higher in Fukuoka, 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 $44.00 in Fukuoka. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $324 in Fukuoka – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Fukuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,641 in Medellin, $1,221 in Fukuoka – roughly 34% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,832 in Fukuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $129 in Fukuoka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fukuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,221, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Fukuoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Fukuoka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,221 in Fukuoka to $1,641 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 Fukuoka. 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.