Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nagasaki Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nagasaki

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,212 in Nagasaki, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,912 in Nagasaki, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,611 in Nagasaki, rent included.

Medellin is about 16% cheaper than Nagasaki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Nagasaki are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Nagasaki 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.46 ¥874

8.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.08 ¥3,372

58.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.56 ¥890

30.04%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.03 ¥485

-46.20%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.04 ¥166

4.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.74 ¥119

-1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.50 ¥400

-30.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.39 ¥382

35.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.55 ¥248

-32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.23 ¥197

4.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$4.05 ¥648

-67.41%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.22 ¥355

2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.48 ¥1,677

-58.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.48 ¥557

68.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$20.73 ¥3,315

-58.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.06 ¥489

-26.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.43 ¥228

-25.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.35 ¥216

12.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$5.94 ¥950

-76.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.82 ¥450

-58.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$3.27 ¥523

-64.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.92 ¥147

-3.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.53 ¥84.6

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.86 ¥617

-41.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.19 ¥990

78.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.92 ¥307

-40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.06 ¥330

15.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.01 ¥162

-16.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$115 ¥18.3K

-63.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$4.02 ¥644

-64.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.96 ¥473

-35.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$19.97 ¥3,193

-61.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.20 ¥192

-15.83%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-25.23%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.3K ¥3.3M

30.25%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$219 ¥35.1K

-61.82%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$27.32 ¥4,370

-65.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$36.23 ¥5,794

-33.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$55.3 ¥8,843

-54.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$14.05 ¥2,247

36.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$13.79 ¥2,206

-70.27%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$260 ¥41.6K

19.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

-54.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$44.07 ¥7,049

31.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$29.14 ¥4,660

11.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$67.1 ¥10.7K

48.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$60.6 ¥9,685

79.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$316 ¥50.5K

52.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$205 ¥32.7K

85.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$852 ¥136.3K

-1.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$668 ¥106.8K

8.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$4,621 ¥739.1K

-38.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,324 ¥371.7K

-47.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

1.67

704.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $316 in Nagasaki. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Nagasaki. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $274 in Nagasaki – 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 Nagasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nagasaki is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,818 in Nagasaki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $21.00 in Nagasaki. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $1,212 in Nagasaki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Nagasaki at $1,212. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nagasaki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nagasaki makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.