Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kawasaki Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kawasaki

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,543 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,341 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,140 in Kawasaki, rent included.

Medellin costs about 9% more than Kawasaki, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Kawasaki sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Kawasaki by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$7.73 ¥1,207

3.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$39.43 ¥6,157

21.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.33 ¥833

85.55%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.75 ¥429

13.82%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.68 ¥263

13.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.90 ¥141

67.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.22 ¥502

-3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.18 ¥496

80.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.58 ¥246

-8.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.61 ¥251

54.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$4.53 ¥707

-60.93%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.19 ¥342

35.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$11.02 ¥1,720

-8.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$7.33 ¥1,144

38.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$17.89 ¥2,794

-20.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$6.27 ¥980

-33.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.94 ¥460

-45.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$5.04 ¥788

-55.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$5.82 ¥909

-61.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$3.42 ¥534

-40.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$3.40 ¥531

-54.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.21 ¥189

-3.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.85 ¥133

54.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.07 ¥635

-4.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$9.80 ¥1,531

42.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.34 ¥365

-25.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$3.09 ¥483

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.93 ¥301

-36.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$50.9 ¥7,955

57.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.34 ¥521

-60.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.21 ¥501

-31.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$19.38 ¥3,026

-55.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.14 ¥178

20.18%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$22.0K ¥3.4M

26.54%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$15.6K ¥2.4M

129.47%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$132 ¥20.6K

34.20%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$23.53 ¥3,674

-41.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$32.16 ¥5,023

-7.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$55.8 ¥8,720

-19.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$6.33 ¥989

170.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$12.14 ¥1,896

-45.22%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$579 ¥90.4K

40.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-39.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$52.4 ¥8,176

70.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$33.21 ¥5,186

77.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$64.4 ¥10.1K

114.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$72.1 ¥11.3K

41.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$782 ¥122.2K

35.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$579 ¥90.4K

14.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,296 ¥202.4K

45.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,042 ¥162.7K

-1.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$4,769 ¥744.8K

-12.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$3,325 ¥519.3K

-49.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,592 ¥404.8K

-73.85%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Kawasaki: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $782 in Kawasaki. 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 282% higher in Kawasaki, 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 $39.00 in Kawasaki. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $350 in Kawasaki – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kawasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 9% more than Kawasaki, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,315 in Kawasaki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $39.00 in Kawasaki. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,543 in Kawasaki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kawasaki, where all-in costs run around $1,543, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Kawasaki it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kawasaki costs $1,543 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kawasaki. 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.