Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Otsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Otsu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,317 in Otsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,920 in Otsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,523 in Otsu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Otsu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Otsu is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$8.79 ¥1,373

-8.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$32.79 ¥5,121

45.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.05 ¥789

95.84%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.20 ¥500

-2.19%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.26 ¥197

51.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.83 ¥130

81.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.29 ¥514

-5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.42 ¥690

30.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.56 ¥244

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.60 ¥250

55.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$4.63 ¥723

-61.77%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.29 ¥357

29.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$16.04 ¥2,504

-37.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.58 ¥1,027

53.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$17.75 ¥2,772

-19.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$5.33 ¥832

-22.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.65 ¥413

-39.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$5.07 ¥791

-55.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$4.49 ¥701

-49.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.23 ¥348

-8.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.89 ¥295

-18.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.16 ¥182

0.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.94 ¥147

39.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.97 ¥620

-1.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$9.77 ¥1,526

43.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.09 ¥327

-16.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.14 ¥335

34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.54 ¥241

-20.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$59.1 ¥9,222

36.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.16 ¥494

-58.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$2.96 ¥462

-26.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$28.60 ¥4,467

-69.55%

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 ¥3.4M

26.14%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

132.44%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$117 ¥18.3K

51.53%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$23.73 ¥3,706

-41.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$31.66 ¥4,945

-6.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$52.2 ¥8,153

-14.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$9.81 ¥1,532

74.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$12.51 ¥1,954

-46.84%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$577 ¥90.1K

40.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$13.0K ¥2.0M

-29.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$57.9 ¥9,034

54.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$36.39 ¥5,683

62.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$71.0 ¥11.1K

94.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$100 ¥15.7K

1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$458 ¥71.5K

132.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$382 ¥59.6K

73.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$654 ¥102.2K

188.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$468 ¥73.1K

119.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$3,775 ¥589.6K

10.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,790 ¥279.5K

-6.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,846 ¥288.3K

-63.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.1

420.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Otsu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $458 in Otsu. 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 172% higher in Otsu, 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 $33.00 in Otsu. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $339 in Otsu – 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 Otsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, 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 $1,975 in Otsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Otsu, 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 $33.00 in Otsu. 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 $1,317 in Otsu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Otsu, where all-in costs run around $1,317, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Otsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Otsu – 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 Otsu. 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.