Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hirakata Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hirakata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $1,211 in Hirakata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $1,892 in Hirakata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $2,573 in Hirakata.

Living in Medellin is roughly 39% more expensive than in Hirakata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Hirakata is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$8.43 ¥1,339

-6.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$31.50 ¥5,005

41.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$4.96 ¥788

87.30%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.99 ¥476

-3.01%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.28 ¥204

41.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.74 ¥117

109.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$3.15 ¥501

3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.87 ¥615

51.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.46 ¥232

-5.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.30 ¥207

88.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$5.81 ¥923

-74.01%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.05 ¥326

35.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$9.82 ¥1,561

-7.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$6.72 ¥1,067

58.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$17.21 ¥2,735

-14.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.36 ¥534

18.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.92 ¥306

-28.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.18 ¥506

-27.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$4.09 ¥650

-50.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$3.99 ¥634

-47.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$3.86 ¥613

-57.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.32 ¥209

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.93 ¥148

34.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.93 ¥624

2.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$9.14 ¥1,453

47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.60 ¥412

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.11 ¥493

-3.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.47 ¥234

-19.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$50.8 ¥8,063

57.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$3.19 ¥507

-49.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$2.78 ¥442

-23.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$15.94 ¥2,533

-46.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.09 ¥174

23.85%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$21.3K ¥3.4M

33.24%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

135.41%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$114 ¥18.1K

33.20%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$23.30 ¥3,702

-43.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$30.00 ¥4,766

7.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$51.6 ¥8,191

-10.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$6.21 ¥986

177.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$11.43 ¥1,816

-43.74%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$512 ¥81.3K

63.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$12.7K ¥2.0M

-30.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$41.42 ¥6,581

115.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$27.15 ¥4,314

103.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$60.0 ¥9,539

127.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$89.9 ¥14.3K

21.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$525 ¥83.4K

81.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$321 ¥51.0K

108.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,142 ¥181.5K

76.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$735 ¥116.7K

56.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$3,862 ¥613.7K

-4.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$2,176 ¥345.7K

-27.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$1,870 ¥297.1K

-66.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

2.02

416.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Hirakata: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $525 in Hirakata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hirakata pays 199% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $32.00 in Hirakata. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $309, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hirakata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Hirakata differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,687 vs $1,211 including rent). Hirakata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 199% lower in Hirakata. 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: $952 in Medellin versus $525 in Hirakata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hirakata runs roughly 58% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $835 in Medellin versus $512 in Hirakata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,211 in Hirakata versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hirakata but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Hirakata 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 Hirakata 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 Hirakata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.