Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oita Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $968 in Oita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,610 in Oita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,253 in Oita, rent included.

Medellin costs about 77% more than Oita, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Oita is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$4.96 ¥775

61.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$42.11 ¥6,579

14.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$5.74 ¥896

70.21%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$1.94 ¥302

50.00%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.06 ¥166

83.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.61 ¥95.8

149.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$3.20 ¥500

-3.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$2.14 ¥335

168.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.32 ¥206

3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.24 ¥194

92.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$6.22 ¥972

-72.67%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.19 ¥342

31.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$3.05 ¥477

225.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$5.46 ¥853

97.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$12.55 ¥1,960

17.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.19 ¥342

86.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.27 ¥198

23.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.58 ¥247

34.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$2.00 ¥312

10.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.24 ¥194

65.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.28 ¥200

17.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.91 ¥142

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.98 ¥153

18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.80 ¥594

2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$6.27 ¥980

130.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.58 ¥246

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$1.88 ¥293

50.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$1.48 ¥231

-20.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$55.6 ¥8,682

39.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$4.02 ¥627

-68.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$2.02 ¥315

3.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$17.55 ¥2,742

-50.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.10 ¥172

18.18%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$21.2K ¥3.3M

30.24%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

108.75%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$49.78 ¥7,776

253.70%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$25.01 ¥3,908

-46.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$32.56 ¥5,086

-8.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$49.61 ¥7,750

-9.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$9.50 ¥1,485

-34.74%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$123 ¥19.3K

543.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$12.1K ¥1.9M

-25.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$37.43 ¥5,848

128.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$23.59 ¥3,685

147.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$59.4 ¥9,275

129.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$46.28 ¥7,230

122.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$468 ¥73.0K

126.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$320 ¥50.0K

112.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,076 ¥168.1K

87.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$717 ¥112.0K

63.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$4,407 ¥688.4K

-6.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,908 ¥298.1K

-10.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$992 ¥154.9K

-32.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.97

455.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Oita: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $468 in Oita. 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 49% higher in Oita, 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 Oita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $214 – making Oita 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 Oita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 77%, 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 $1,451 in Oita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oita, 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 Oita. 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 $968 in Oita. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Oita, where all-in costs run around $968, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Oita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oita – 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 Oita. 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.