Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Okayama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Okayama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $977 in Okayama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,568 in Okayama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,159 in Okayama, rent included.

Medellin costs about 72% more than Okayama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Okayama is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$6.19 ¥966

29.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$26.38 ¥4,120

81.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.03 ¥785

96.62%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.81 ¥282

72.93%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.70 ¥109

172.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.69 ¥108

118.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.98 ¥310

57.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$1.89 ¥294

204.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.40 ¥219

2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.63 ¥97.7

295.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$4.33 ¥677

-59.12%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.52 ¥237

94.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$15.67 ¥2,447

-35.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.34 ¥991

59.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$17.89 ¥2,795

-20.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$5.27 ¥823

-21.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$3.02 ¥472

-46.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$5.08 ¥793

-55.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$4.50 ¥703

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.32 ¥362

-12.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.96 ¥305

-21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.21 ¥189

-3.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.69 ¥108

89.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.77 ¥589

3.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$9.85 ¥1,538

42.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.95 ¥305

-10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.96 ¥307

46.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.27 ¥199

-3.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$52.3 ¥8,160

54.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.17 ¥496

-58.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$2.55 ¥398

-14.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$22.32 ¥3,486

-60.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.06 ¥166

29.25%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$21.8K ¥3.4M

27.51%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

127.37%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$73.5 ¥11.5K

141.22%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$14.36 ¥2,242

-3.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$25.82 ¥4,033

15.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$25.65 ¥4,006

74.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$11.63 ¥1,816

-42.82%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$577 ¥90.1K

40.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$15.0K ¥2.3M

-38.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$51.1 ¥7,973

75.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$36.56 ¥5,710

61.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$63.0 ¥9,837

119.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$101 ¥15.8K

0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$343 ¥53.6K

209.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$195 ¥30.4K

240.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$657 ¥102.7K

187.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$445 ¥69.4K

131.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,389 ¥216.9K

-51.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.66

559.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Okayama: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $343 in Okayama. 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 105% higher in Okayama, 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 $26.00 in Okayama. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $321 in Okayama – 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 Okayama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,465 in Okayama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Okayama, 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 $26.00 in Okayama. 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 $977 in Okayama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Okayama, where all-in costs run around $977, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Okayama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Okayama – 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 Okayama. 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.