Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hiroshima Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hiroshima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,058 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,651 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,244 in Hiroshima, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than Hiroshima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Hiroshima are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Hiroshima 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.30 ¥1,024

-2.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$35.22 ¥5,723

-7.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.75 ¥772

54.53%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.97 ¥482

-42.09%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.06 ¥173

-0.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.70 ¥115

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.76 ¥448

-38.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.08 ¥662

-22.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.58 ¥256

-33.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.42 ¥231

-8.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$4.68 ¥761

-70.09%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.18 ¥355

-0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.53 ¥898

-20.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.25 ¥1,016

-5.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$12.18 ¥1,979

-29.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.54 ¥576

-35.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.21 ¥360

-49.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$4.11 ¥668

-62.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.04 ¥656

-66.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.65 ¥268

-31.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.78 ¥614

-70.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.39 ¥226

-38.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.90 ¥146

1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.94 ¥639

-40.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.74 ¥1,258

59.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.08 ¥338

-42.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.61 ¥425

-4.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$2.04 ¥331

-58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$23.80 ¥3,867

70.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.49 ¥729

-68.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.28 ¥208

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$23.31 ¥3,787

-67.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.16 ¥188

-14.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-23.64%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

57.67%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$132 ¥21.4K

-38.65%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$27.61 ¥4,486

-63.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$30.58 ¥4,969

-20.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$53.8 ¥8,746

-53.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$5.66 ¥920

238.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$12.50 ¥2,031

-68.16%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$173 ¥28.2K

76.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,779 ¥614.1K

60.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$31.74 ¥5,156

83.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$27.63 ¥4,490

16.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$52.6 ¥8,546

91.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$69.2 ¥11.2K

55.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$353 ¥57.3K

35.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$240 ¥39.0K

56.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$758 ¥123.2K

11.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$557 ¥90.5K

31.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,124 ¥345.1K

51.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,096 ¥340.5K

-34.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,933 ¥314.0K

-68.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

1.81

641.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hiroshima: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $353 in Hiroshima. 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 213% higher in Hiroshima, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Hiroshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $269 – making Medellin 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 Hiroshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hiroshima costs about 3% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,587 in Hiroshima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,058 in Hiroshima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 70% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Hiroshima at $1,058. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hiroshima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $1,058 in Hiroshima. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hiroshima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.