Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nagoya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nagoya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,244 in Nagoya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,965 in Nagoya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,686 in Nagoya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 36% more than Nagoya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Nagoya is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$8.65 ¥1,375

-8.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$31.14 ¥4,948

43.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$4.92 ¥781

88.82%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.34 ¥372

23.93%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.30 ¥206

39.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.80 ¥128

93.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$3.22 ¥512

0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.17 ¥504

85.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.55 ¥246

-10.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.49 ¥237

64.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$4.04 ¥642

-62.62%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.14 ¥339

29.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$15.48 ¥2,460

-41.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$6.83 ¥1,085

55.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$17.04 ¥2,708

-14.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$8.36 ¥1,328

-52.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.93 ¥466

-52.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$4.95 ¥787

-53.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$7.64 ¥1,214

-73.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$4.05 ¥644

-48.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$4.47 ¥711

-63.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.12 ¥178

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.94 ¥149

32.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.99 ¥634

1.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$9.61 ¥1,527

40.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.61 ¥415

-38.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.15 ¥342

39.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.47 ¥233

-19.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$3.21 ¥511

-49.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$2.84 ¥451

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$15.71 ¥2,497

-45.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.05 ¥167

28.57%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$22.0K ¥3.5M

29.01%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$15.3K ¥2.4M

132.95%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$114 ¥18.2K

32.23%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$23.39 ¥3,717

-43.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$31.20 ¥4,957

3.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$50.8 ¥8,070

-8.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$13.50 ¥2,144

27.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$11.17 ¥1,775

-42.44%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$571 ¥90.7K

46.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$14.8K ¥2.4M

-40.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$49.26 ¥7,826

81.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$36.06 ¥5,730

53.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$59.4 ¥9,439

129.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$98.8 ¥15.7K

10.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$533 ¥84.7K

78.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$352 ¥55.9K

89.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,194 ¥189.7K

69.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$721 ¥114.6K

59.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,025 ¥321.7K

82.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,044 ¥165.8K

51.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$1,825 ¥289.9K

-65.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

2.02

416.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Nagoya: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $533 in Nagoya. 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 192% higher in Nagoya, 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 Nagoya. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $378 in Nagoya – 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 Nagoya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 36%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,866 in Nagoya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nagoya, 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Nagoya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nagoya, where all-in costs run around $1,244, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Nagoya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nagoya – 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 Nagoya. 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.