Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Naha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Naha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,468 in Naha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,033 in Naha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,599 in Naha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% more than Naha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Naha sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Naha by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$4.95 ¥774

62.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$30.26 ¥4,728

59.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$4.90 ¥765

99.39%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.97 ¥464

-2.02%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.27 ¥198

52.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.91 ¥142

67.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.05 ¥320

50.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.99 ¥623

43.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.64 ¥256

-17.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$2.06 ¥322

16.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$3.80 ¥594

-55.26%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.80 ¥281

59.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$17.87 ¥2,791

-44.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.78 ¥747

125.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$22.56 ¥3,524

-34.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.60 ¥562

13.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$2.71 ¥423

-42.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.15 ¥336

-0.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$5.10 ¥796

-56.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$2.44 ¥381

-15.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$2.53 ¥395

-40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.24 ¥193

-4.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.72 ¥112

61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.92 ¥613

-0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$6.31 ¥985

128.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.91 ¥299

-17.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$3.27 ¥512

-13.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$1.64 ¥257

-28.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$61.6 ¥9,620

26.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$3.83 ¥598

-66.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$3.41 ¥533

-38.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$11.27 ¥1,761

-23.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.01 ¥158

28.71%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$20.6K ¥3.2M

34.57%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

139.65%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$95.2 ¥14.9K

85.03%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$25.15 ¥3,929

-46.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$52.3 ¥8,168

-42.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$53.4 ¥8,349

-16.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$12.06 ¥1,884

-48.59%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$326 ¥50.9K

143.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$5,461 ¥853.2K

65.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$48.53 ¥7,581

76.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$23.58 ¥3,684

147.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$78.5 ¥12.3K

73.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$93.7 ¥14.6K

10.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$729 ¥113.9K

45.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$574 ¥89.6K

18.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,085 ¥169.5K

85.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$739 ¥115.5K

58.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$4,466 ¥697.8K

-7.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,976 ¥308.7K

-13.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$954 ¥149.1K

-30.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.23

390.58%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Naha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $729 in Naha. 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 43% higher in Naha, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Naha. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $328 in Naha – 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 Naha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,202 in Naha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Naha, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $30.00 in Naha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,468 in Naha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Naha, where all-in costs run around $1,468, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Naha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Naha – 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 Naha. 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.