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: $1,555 in Medellin versus $1,198 in Hirakata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Medellin versus $1,903 in Hirakata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Medellin versus $2,607 in Hirakata.

Living in Medellin is roughly 30% more expensive than in Hirakata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 15% above, Hirakata is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.3K

$8.80 ¥1,390

-13.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 143.4K

$31.54 ¥4,981

41.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.6K

$4.97 ¥786

85.92%

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,441

$2.96 ¥468

-0.34%

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

$1.80 COP 5,769

$1.25 ¥198

44.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,322

$0.78 ¥123

73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,394

$3.26 ¥515

-10.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 17.5K

$3.91 ¥617

39.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,590

$1.46 ¥230

-2.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,662

$1.30 ¥205

83.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,127

$5.54 ¥876

-71.12%

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,217

$2.12 ¥336

35.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 31.1K

$9.76 ¥1,542

-0.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 30.2K

$6.85 ¥1,082

37.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 42.4K

$17.65 ¥2,789

-24.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.0K

$3.36 ¥530

11.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,629

$1.95 ¥309

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,722

$3.20 ¥505

-34.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,821

$3.95 ¥623

-46.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,161

$4.04 ¥639

-52.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,905

$3.70 ¥585

-58.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,493

$1.37 ¥216

-20.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,783

$0.93 ¥147

26.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.1K

$3.99 ¥630

-5.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 42.2K

$9.36 ¥1,479

40.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,254

$2.63 ¥416

-37.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,294

$3.21 ¥508

-28.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,765

$1.50 ¥237

-21.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 235.8K

$50.5 ¥7,969

45.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,091

$3.13 ¥495

-59.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,333

$3.12 ¥493

-36.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.3K

$16.07 ¥2,539

-50.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,145

$1.11 ¥176

16.22%

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

$26.8K COP 85.8M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

23.72%

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

$34.7K COP 111.1M

$15.6K ¥2.5M

122.91%

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

$158 COP 505.5K

$117 ¥18.5K

34.91%

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

$13.39 COP 42.9K

$23.55 ¥3,721

-43.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 87.4K

$31.17 ¥4,924

-12.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 141.4K

$50.8 ¥8,023

-13.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 51.2K

$6.41 ¥1,013

149.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 20.5K

$11.45 ¥1,809

-44.19%

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

$777 COP 2.5M

$524 ¥82.8K

48.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 28.2M

$13.0K ¥2.1M

-32.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 265.0K

$48.55 ¥7,669

70.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 179.8K

$30.12 ¥4,758

86.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 419.0K

$61.7 ¥9,742

112.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 307.2K

$89.0 ¥14.1K

7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.2M

$531 ¥83.8K

89.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

$328 ¥51.9K

90.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 5.8M

$1,063 ¥168.0K

71.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.1M

$738 ¥116.6K

31.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.5M

$3,851 ¥608.3K

1.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.0M

$1,695 ¥267.7K

-7.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

$1,884 ¥297.6K

-67.09%

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 28, 2026

Last update for Hirakata: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Medellin and $531 in Hirakata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hirakata pays 204% 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 $285 vs $310, 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 30% in total monthly costs ($1,555 vs $1,198 including rent). Hirakata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 204% 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: $1,006 in Medellin versus $531 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 46% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $777 in Medellin versus $524 in Hirakata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,198 in Hirakata versus $1,555 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 30% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.