Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Matsuyama

For one person, living is cheaper in Matsuyama: $1,277 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Matsuyama
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,277
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Matsuyama

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 Matsuyama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $1,277 in Matsuyama, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Matsuyama $1,277

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $2,017 in Matsuyama, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Matsuyama $2,017

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $2,758 in Matsuyama, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Matsuyama $2,758

Medellin costs about 27% more than Matsuyama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Matsuyama is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Matsuyama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$6.38 ¥1,008
30.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$30.99 ¥4,896
51.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$4.71 ¥744
96.18%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$2.38 ¥376
28.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$1.19 ¥188
51.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$0.58 ¥91.7
137.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$2.09 ¥330
55.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$2.29 ¥361
142.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Matsuyama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$1.50 ¥238
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$1.33 ¥210
78.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$5.40 ¥853
-68.52%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$2.08 ¥329
42.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$12.49 ¥1,974
-18.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$9.48 ¥1,498
2.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$32.49 ¥5,134
-57.22%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$3.67 ¥579
12.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$2.32 ¥367
-34.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$6.34 ¥1,001
-64.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$4.24 ¥670
-46.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$3.67 ¥580
-45.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$3.45 ¥545
-51.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$1.24 ¥196
-4.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.97 ¥154
27.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$3.51 ¥555
10.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$7.99 ¥1,262
72.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$1.97 ¥312
-15.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$1.44 ¥227
66.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Matsuyama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$1.44 ¥228
-13.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
$52.7 ¥8,327
48.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$3.23 ¥510
-60.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$3.08 ¥486
-30.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$26.40 ¥4,170
-68.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$1.10 ¥173
22.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$20.0K ¥3.2M
73.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$16.7K ¥2.6M
107.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Matsuyama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$144 ¥22.8K
15.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$23.66 ¥3,738
-42.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$43.16 ¥6,819
-32.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Matsuyama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$53.0 ¥8,379
-14.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$12.54 ¥1,982
-44.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Matsuyama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$319 ¥50.3K
148.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$6,069 ¥958.9K
48.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Matsuyama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$49.43 ¥7,809
77.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$25.19 ¥3,980
130.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$46.18 ¥7,297
200.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$66.3 ¥10.5K
49.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Matsuyama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$526 ¥83.2K
95.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$328 ¥51.8K
89.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$1,122 ¥177.3K
67.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$724 ¥114.4K
39.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$4,302 ¥679.6K
-7.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$1,726 ¥272.6K
-1.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Matsuyama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
2.28
379.82%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Matsuyama: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Matsuyama
$328 47.1% $292
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Matsuyama
$383 28.4% $85
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Matsuyama
$211 0.8% $1.7
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Matsuyama
$84 51.3% $89
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Matsuyama
$116 32.2% $55
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Matsuyama
$77 19% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Matsuyama
$78 32.4% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $526 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Matsuyama. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Medellin vs $383 in Matsuyama – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇯🇵 Matsuyama
🕒 Local time
20:59 8:59 PM
10:59 10:59 AM
14 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
511,192
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Matsuyama 14,650 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Matsuyama

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 Matsuyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Matsuyama compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,625 in Medellin, $1,277 in Matsuyama – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Matsuyama?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $1,915 in Matsuyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Matsuyama?
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.
How do commuting costs compare in Medellin and in Matsuyama?
Public transport costs about 48% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Matsuyama?
Kindergarten costs $790 per month in Medellin and $319 in Matsuyama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matsuyama, where all-in costs run around $1,277, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Matsuyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Matsuyama?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,277 in Matsuyama to $1,625 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Medellin or Matsuyama safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Medellin and Matsuyama?
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.

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