Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kanazawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kanazawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,170 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,850 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,531 in Kanazawa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Kanazawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Kanazawa is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$5.15 ¥804

55.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$31.28 ¥4,886

54.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$4.89 ¥764

99.80%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.97 ¥463

-2.02%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.42 ¥222

36.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.74 ¥115

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.65 ¥413

16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.72 ¥580

54.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.44 ¥225

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.29 ¥202

85.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$5.17 ¥807

-67.12%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.10 ¥329

36.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$9.34 ¥1,459

6.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$9.39 ¥1,467

14.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$18.24 ¥2,850

-19.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.26 ¥509

25.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.99 ¥310

-21.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.00 ¥313

6.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$3.93 ¥614

-43.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.47 ¥230

39.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.12 ¥174

33.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.30 ¥204

-8.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.76 ¥119

52.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.94 ¥616

-1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$9.53 ¥1,489

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.92 ¥300

-17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$3.22 ¥503

-12.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$1.51 ¥235

-22.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$54.9 ¥8,577

41.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$3.77 ¥590

-66.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$3.09 ¥483

-32.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$21.18 ¥3,309

-59.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.08 ¥168

20.37%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

27.42%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

140.10%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$136 ¥21.3K

29.06%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$24.23 ¥3,786

-44.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$30.87 ¥4,822

-3.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$42.52 ¥6,643

5.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$11.45 ¥1,789

-45.85%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$507 ¥79.2K

56.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$13.1K ¥2.0M

-31.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$43.28 ¥6,762

97.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$30.70 ¥4,796

90.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$72.3 ¥11.3K

88.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$89.3 ¥14.0K

15.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$401 ¥62.6K

164.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$332 ¥51.9K

104.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,019 ¥159.2K

97.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$638 ¥99.7K

83.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$3,731 ¥582.8K

10.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,887 ¥294.7K

-9.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,867 ¥291.7K

-64.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.21

395.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kanazawa: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $401 in Kanazawa. 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 181% higher in Kanazawa, 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 $31.00 in Kanazawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $298 – making Kanazawa 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 Kanazawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,716 in Medellin, $1,170 in Kanazawa – roughly 47% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,754 in Kanazawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kanazawa, 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $1,170 in Kanazawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Kanazawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kanazawa, where all-in costs run around $1,170, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Kanazawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,170 in Kanazawa to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kanazawa. 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.