Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maebashi

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,696 in Maebashi, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Maebashi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Medellin, Colombia
Maebashi, Japan
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Maebashi
🇯🇵 Japan
$2,696
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Maebashi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Maebashi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $2,696 in Maebashi, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Maebashi $2,696

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $2,569 in Maebashi, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Maebashi $2,569

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $2,441 in Maebashi, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Maebashi $2,441

Medellin is about 37% cheaper than Maebashi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Maebashi sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Maebashi by 99%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Maebashi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$8.79 ¥1,384
-5.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.3K
$31.55 ¥4,969
47.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.6K
$5.00 ¥788
89.40%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$2.50 ¥394
25.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,705
$1.24 ¥196
42.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,601
$0.94 ¥148
51.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$2.73 ¥430
15.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$3.23 ¥508
76.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Maebashi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,950
$1.24 ¥195
23.39%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,401
$1.48 ¥234
54.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,282
$1.30 ¥205
49.23%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,905
$1.68 ¥265
82.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.3K
$15.78 ¥2,485
-36.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$4.65 ¥733
124.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.1K
$17.22 ¥2,712
-18.93%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$4.96 ¥781
-18.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,937
$3.09 ¥487
-50.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,797
$5.00 ¥788
-58.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,409
$8.04 ¥1,266
-71.52%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,813
$2.78 ¥438
-24.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,521
$4.24 ¥668
-59.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,780
$1.17 ¥185
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,104
$0.48 ¥76.2
229.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$3.94 ¥621
-0.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.4K
$9.38 ¥1,477
49.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,690
$2.64 ¥416
-33.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,760
$2.11 ¥332
28.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Maebashi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,811
$2.56 ¥403
-53.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.4K
$17.79 ¥2,801
328.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,836
$3.11 ¥490
-41.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,878
$2.68 ¥423
-20.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.3K
$26.85 ¥4,229
-69.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,119
$1.10 ¥173
16.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.2M
$21.5K ¥3.4M
60.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.3M
$15.3K ¥2.4M
123.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Maebashi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 574.1K
$118 ¥18.6K
50.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.9K
$23.75 ¥3,740
-41.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.3K
$30.85 ¥4,858
-0.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Maebashi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.5K
$48.29 ¥7,606
-13.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.3K
$31.18 ¥4,911
-46.12%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$12.71 ¥2,002
-41.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Maebashi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$710 ¥111.8K
11.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$22.4K ¥3.5M
-45.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Maebashi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.9K
$69.6 ¥11.0K
24.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.4K
$35.69 ¥5,621
66.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.9K
$60.1 ¥9,462
130.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 319.2K
$98.5 ¥15.5K
0.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Maebashi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$384 ¥60.5K
248.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$1,814 ¥285.6K
-63.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$566 ¥89.1K
249.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$481 ¥75.8K
114.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Maebashi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$1,704 ¥268.4K
-62.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
2.02
441.58%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Maebashi: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Maebashi
$1.8K 172% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Maebashi
$328 6.8% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Maebashi
$173 22.2% $49
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Maebashi
$144 16.5% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Maebashi
$119 31.1% $54
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Maebashi
$45 52.3% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Maebashi
$74 29.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $384 in Maebashi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Maebashi are about 2.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $32 in Maebashi. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Medellin vs $328 in Maebashi – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇯🇵 Maebashi
🕒 Local time
21:35 9:35 PM
11:35 11:35 AM
14 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
324,644
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,230 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,626 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 157 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.35 USD). 1 EUR = 177 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Maebashi 14,050 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Maebashi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Maebashi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Maebashi?
Yes – Maebashi is pricier by about 59%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $4,044 in Maebashi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Maebashi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $384 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Maebashi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $32 in Maebashi. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Maebashi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $2,696 in Maebashi. That makes Medellin about 37% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Maebashi?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,692, than in Maebashi at $2,696. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maebashi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Maebashi?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,692 in Medellin to $2,696 in Maebashi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maebashi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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