Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Matsuyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Matsuyama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,169 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,854 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,540 in Matsuyama, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$6.13 ¥958

31.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$26.80 ¥4,187

80.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$5.19 ¥811

88.25%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.84 ¥444

2.46%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.04 ¥163

86.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.71 ¥111

114.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.43 ¥379

27.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.13 ¥489

83.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.47 ¥229

-7.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.65 ¥257

44.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$4.35 ¥679

-60.92%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.86 ¥291

54.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$12.74 ¥1,990

-21.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$5.80 ¥907

85.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$15.74 ¥2,459

-6.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$4.52 ¥706

-9.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$2.21 ¥345

-28.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$3.13 ¥489

-31.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$3.79 ¥592

-41.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$2.30 ¥360

-10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$2.21 ¥345

-32.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.25 ¥196

-4.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.81 ¥127

43.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.42 ¥691

-11.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$7.49 ¥1,169

92.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.96 ¥307

-19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.28 ¥355

24.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$1.50 ¥234

-22.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$55.3 ¥8,646

40.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$3.55 ¥555

-63.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$2.76 ¥431

-24.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$15.94 ¥2,490

-45.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.22 ¥190

6.56%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$19.3K ¥3.0M

43.54%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$16.1K ¥2.5M

119.99%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$131 ¥20.5K

34.14%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$26.21 ¥4,095

-48.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$30.89 ¥4,826

-3.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$44.74 ¥6,989

0.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$11.83 ¥1,847

-47.59%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$498 ¥77.8K

59.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$11.4K ¥1.8M

-20.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$52.4 ¥8,178

63.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$27.39 ¥4,278

113.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$52.6 ¥8,212

159.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$95.1 ¥14.8K

8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$476 ¥74.4K

122.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$313 ¥49.0K

116.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,160 ¥181.2K

73.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$640 ¥100.0K

82.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$3,948 ¥616.8K

4.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,963 ¥306.6K

-13.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.06

431.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Matsuyama: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $476 in Matsuyama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Matsuyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $293 – making Matsuyama 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 Matsuyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,716 in Medellin, $1,169 in Matsuyama – 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 $1,753 in Matsuyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 40% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $498 in Matsuyama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matsuyama, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Matsuyama 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 $1,169 in Matsuyama to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Matsuyama. 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.