Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,393 in Osaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,070 in Osaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,747 in Osaka, rent included.

Medellin costs about 21% more than Osaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Osaka sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Osaka by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.65 ¥1,038

20.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$32.08 ¥5,006

49.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.25 ¥818

88.38%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.05 ¥476

2.62%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.41 ¥220

35.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.70 ¥109

115.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.79 ¥435

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.88 ¥605

48.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.48 ¥231

-2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.31 ¥205

90.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$5.49 ¥857

-67.76%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.07 ¥323

43.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.84 ¥1,535

2.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$9.68 ¥1,510

4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$18.58 ¥2,900

-23.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.43 ¥535

20.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.04 ¥319

-21.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.13 ¥332

5.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.18 ¥651

-46.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.60 ¥250

27.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.21 ¥189

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.36 ¥212

-13.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.80 ¥125

63.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.00 ¥625

-2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$9.49 ¥1,481

47.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.00 ¥313

-13.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.20 ¥499

-10.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.41 ¥220

-13.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$32.84 ¥5,124

145.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.93 ¥614

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.20 ¥499

-31.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$22.17 ¥3,459

-60.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.13 ¥176

21.24%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$22.4K ¥3.5M

24.23%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$15.6K ¥2.4M

129.57%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$140 ¥21.8K

26.82%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$24.68 ¥3,851

-43.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$31.03 ¥4,842

-4.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$53.1 ¥8,282

-15.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$19.04 ¥2,970

-10.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$12.30 ¥1,918

-45.93%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$529 ¥82.5K

53.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

-30.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$48.93 ¥7,635

82.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$31.85 ¥4,969

85.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$76.1 ¥11.9K

81.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$94.3 ¥14.7K

8.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$728 ¥113.6K

45.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$512 ¥79.8K

29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,753 ¥273.5K

7.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$778 ¥121.4K

31.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$6,376 ¥994.8K

-34.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,959 ¥305.6K

-14.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,342 ¥365.4K

-71.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.21

395.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $728 in Osaka. 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 246% higher in Osaka, 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 Osaka. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $308 in Osaka – 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 Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, 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 $2,089 in Osaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Osaka, 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 Osaka. 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 $1,393 in Osaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Osaka, where all-in costs run around $1,393, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Osaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Osaka – 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 Osaka. 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.