Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nara Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,245 in Nara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,877 in Nara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,509 in Nara, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Nara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$6.34 ¥991

26.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$31.85 ¥4,974

50.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.00 ¥781

97.80%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.50 ¥390

25.20%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.28 ¥199

49.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.75 ¥117

101.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.17 ¥496

-1.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.21 ¥502

79.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.56 ¥243

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.36 ¥213

83.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$4.17 ¥651

-57.55%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.20 ¥344

34.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$9.68 ¥1,512

4.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$7.31 ¥1,142

38.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$18.41 ¥2,875

-22.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.36 ¥524

23.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.06 ¥322

-21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.05 ¥321

9.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$4.16 ¥650

-45.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.58 ¥247

29.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.14 ¥179

35.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.15 ¥180

1.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.86 ¥134

52.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.09 ¥639

-4.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$9.52 ¥1,486

47.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.91 ¥298

-8.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.24 ¥349

28.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.58 ¥246

-22.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$73.3 ¥11.4K

9.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.15 ¥492

-58.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$2.95 ¥461

-25.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$16.47 ¥2,573

-47.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.13 ¥176

21.24%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$22.1K ¥3.5M

25.86%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

131.68%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$120 ¥18.7K

48.22%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$24.93 ¥3,893

-44.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$31.68 ¥4,948

-6.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$83.7 ¥13.1K

-46.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$7.61 ¥1,188

124.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$12.23 ¥1,910

-45.63%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$527 ¥82.3K

54.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$13.6K ¥2.1M

-32.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$48.97 ¥7,647

82.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$31.81 ¥4,968

85.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$61.2 ¥9,549

126.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$92.0 ¥14.4K

10.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$420 ¥65.5K

153.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$349 ¥54.4K

90.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$854 ¥133.4K

120.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$541 ¥84.4K

89.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,813 ¥439.3K

48.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$2,063 ¥322.2K

-18.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,159 ¥181.0K

-41.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.01

444.28%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Nara: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $420 in Nara. 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 71% higher in Nara, 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 $32.00 in Nara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $289 – making Nara 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 Nara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,868 in Nara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nara, 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 $32.00 in Nara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,245 in Nara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nara, where all-in costs run around $1,245, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Nara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Nara. 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.