Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ichikawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ichikawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,174 in Ichikawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,842 in Ichikawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,510 in Ichikawa.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 12% less than in Ichikawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Ichikawa 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.10 ¥1,153

-13.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$35.00 ¥5,686

-6.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.07 ¥823

44.77%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.14 ¥510

-45.22%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.08 ¥175

-2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.81 ¥132

-4.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.05 ¥334

-17.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.03 ¥330

56.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.51 ¥245

-30.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.72 ¥280

-24.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$4.90 ¥797

-71.43%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.57 ¥255

37.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.19 ¥1,656

-56.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.17 ¥1,002

-4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$15.34 ¥2,492

-43.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$6.07 ¥986

-62.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$3.16 ¥514

-64.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$4.11 ¥668

-62.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.50 ¥730

-70.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$3.28 ¥532

-65.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.71 ¥603

-69.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.34 ¥217

-36.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.87 ¥142

4.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.10 ¥666

-42.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.93 ¥1,126

78.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.76 ¥287

-31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.06 ¥335

20.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.67 ¥271

-49.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$56.4 ¥9,158

-28.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.49 ¥566

-59.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.98 ¥484

-35.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$22.05 ¥3,583

-65.26%

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

$22.9K ¥3.7M

-21.40%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$18.9K ¥3.1M

41.06%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$83.8 ¥13.6K

-3.52%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$27.90 ¥4,534

-64.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$17.08 ¥2,776

41.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$55.1 ¥8,951

-54.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.77 ¥2,237

39.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$11.37 ¥1,847

-65.00%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$277 ¥45.1K

10.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-55.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$41.27 ¥6,705

40.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.01 ¥4,876

7.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$59.2 ¥9,613

70.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$96.0 ¥15.6K

12.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$475 ¥77.1K

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$334 ¥54.3K

12.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$875 ¥142.2K

-3.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$649 ¥105.5K

12.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,388 ¥713.0K

-26.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,365 ¥384.3K

-41.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

571.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ichikawa: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $475 in Ichikawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in Ichikawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $314 per month, with Medellin 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 Ichikawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Ichikawa differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $1,174 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,761 in Ichikawa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $475 in Ichikawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Ichikawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $35.00 in Ichikawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,174 in Ichikawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ichikawa. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Ichikawa 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Ichikawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.