Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Narita Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Narita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,213 in Narita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,972 in Narita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,731 in Narita, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Narita, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Narita is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$5.78 ¥902

38.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$41.79 ¥6,526

14.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.47 ¥699

121.25%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.15 ¥492

-0.63%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.81 ¥127

135.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.74 ¥116

104.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.05 ¥320

52.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.17 ¥495

81.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.27 ¥199

13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.76 ¥275

41.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$3.64 ¥569

-51.37%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.04 ¥319

45.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$12.07 ¥1,885

-16.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.11 ¥954

65.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$14.57 ¥2,275

-1.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$5.89 ¥920

-29.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.78 ¥434

-42.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.91 ¥454

-22.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$4.18 ¥653

-46.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.71 ¥424

-24.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.73 ¥426

-43.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.28 ¥199

-8.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.83 ¥129

57.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.80 ¥593

2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$6.29 ¥982

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.79 ¥280

-2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.12 ¥331

35.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.50 ¥234

-18.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$59.0 ¥9,220

36.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.18 ¥497

-58.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.64 ¥257

33.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$21.25 ¥3,318

-59.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.07 ¥167

28.04%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$22.3K ¥3.5M

24.95%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

94.18%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$133 ¥20.7K

33.61%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$25.26 ¥3,945

-45.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$29.67 ¥4,634

0.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$53.5 ¥8,359

-16.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$11.53 ¥1,801

-42.32%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$646 ¥100.9K

25.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-37.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$62.9 ¥9,820

42.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$33.28 ¥5,197

77.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$63.1 ¥9,848

119.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$103 ¥16.1K

-0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$520 ¥81.2K

104.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$342 ¥53.4K

93.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,088 ¥170.0K

73.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$855 ¥133.6K

20.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$3,393 ¥529.8K

23.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$2,030 ¥317.1K

-17.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,296 ¥202.4K

-47.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.12

416.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Narita: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $520 in Narita. 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 91% higher in Narita, 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 $42.00 in Narita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $297 – making Narita 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 Narita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, 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 $1,819 in Narita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Narita, 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 $42.00 in Narita. 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 $1,213 in Narita. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Narita, where all-in costs run around $1,213, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Narita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Narita – 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 Narita. 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.