Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kashiwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kashiwa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,264 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,901 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,537 in Kashiwa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Kashiwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Kashiwa is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.32 ¥987

26.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$26.13 ¥4,076

83.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.16 ¥805

91.67%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.42 ¥534

-8.48%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.72 ¥112

165.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.78 ¥121

93.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.55 ¥398

22.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.22 ¥502

78.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.33 ¥208

8.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.15 ¥179

116.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.77 ¥588

-53.05%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.96 ¥306

51.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.63 ¥1,035

51.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.14 ¥958

64.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$9.68 ¥1,510

47.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$5.80 ¥905

-28.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.90 ¥452

-44.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.87 ¥449

-21.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.34 ¥677

-48.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.67 ¥417

-23.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.62 ¥408

-41.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.67 ¥104

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.63 ¥98.4

107.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.86 ¥603

1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.52 ¥1,017

114.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.79 ¥279

-2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.95 ¥305

47.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.49 ¥232

-18.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$57.7 ¥8,997

39.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.20 ¥499

-59.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.65 ¥257

32.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$21.26 ¥3,317

-59.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.02 ¥159

34.31%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

28.78%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

94.38%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$130 ¥20.3K

36.51%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$24.53 ¥3,828

-43.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$33.52 ¥5,229

-11.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$59.9 ¥9,352

-25.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$12.93 ¥2,017

-48.57%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$660 ¥102.9K

23.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$14.9K ¥2.3M

-38.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$63.4 ¥9,897

41.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$33.31 ¥5,198

77.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$64.0 ¥9,984

115.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$105 ¥16.4K

-2.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$547 ¥85.4K

94.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$405 ¥63.3K

63.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,026 ¥160.1K

84.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$762 ¥119.0K

34.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$3,743 ¥584.1K

11.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,764 ¥275.2K

-5.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,681 ¥418.4K

-74.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.12

416.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kashiwa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $547 in Kashiwa. 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 296% higher in Kashiwa, 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 $26.00 in Kashiwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $256 – making Kashiwa 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 Kashiwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,264 in Kashiwa – roughly 33% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,897 in Kashiwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $660 in Kashiwa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kashiwa, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Kashiwa 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 $1,264 in Kashiwa to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kashiwa. 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.