Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kyoto Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kyoto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,225 in Kyoto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,966 in Kyoto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,706 in Kyoto, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Kyoto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Kyoto is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$9.33 ¥1,483

-15.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$31.49 ¥5,003

41.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$5.05 ¥802

83.96%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.35 ¥533

-13.43%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.82 ¥130

120.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.73 ¥116

112.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$3.17 ¥504

2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$5.62 ¥894

4.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.56 ¥248

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.64 ¥260

49.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$5.79 ¥921

-73.92%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.17 ¥344

28.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.37 ¥1,330

8.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$6.17 ¥980

72.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$11.25 ¥1,787

30.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$5.08 ¥807

-21.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.29 ¥363

-39.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$5.12 ¥814

-55.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$3.54 ¥562

-42.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.82 ¥290

14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.62 ¥258

0.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.13 ¥180

-4.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.92 ¥146

35.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.81 ¥606

5.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$7.41 ¥1,178

81.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.59 ¥253

0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.23 ¥513

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.41 ¥224

-16.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$62.5 ¥9,926

27.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$3.33 ¥528

-51.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$3.83 ¥608

-44.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.06 ¥169

27.36%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$21.8K ¥3.5M

30.13%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$14.9K ¥2.4M

139.41%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$103 ¥16.4K

47.10%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$23.48 ¥3,730

-44.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$30.92 ¥4,913

4.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$52.6 ¥8,363

-11.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$18.48 ¥2,936

-6.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$12.44 ¥1,976

-48.31%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$644 ¥102.3K

29.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$6,480 ¥1.0M

37.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$55.1 ¥8,757

62.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$45.42 ¥7,216

21.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$68.3 ¥10.9K

99.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$102 ¥16.2K

7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$568 ¥90.3K

67.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$326 ¥51.8K

104.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,787 ¥283.9K

13.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$771 ¥122.6K

48.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$1,886 ¥299.6K

-66.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

2.23

367.71%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Kyoto: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $568 in Kyoto. 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 201% higher in Kyoto, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Kyoto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $284 – making Kyoto 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 Kyoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,687 in Medellin, $1,225 in Kyoto – roughly 38% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,838 in Kyoto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Kyoto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kyoto, where all-in costs run around $1,225, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Kyoto 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 $1,225 in Kyoto to $1,687 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kyoto. 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.