Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saitama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saitama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $983 in Saitama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,315 in Saitama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,646 in Saitama, rent included.

Medellin costs about 74% more than Saitama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Saitama is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$5.61 ¥872

43.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$30.87 ¥4,804

56.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$4.75 ¥739

105.68%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.98 ¥464

-2.35%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.71 ¥111

173.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.59 ¥92.2

157.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$2.48 ¥386

24.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$3.08 ¥480

86.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.41 ¥220

-3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$1.72 ¥268

38.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$2.77 ¥432

-38.63%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$1.97 ¥307

45.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$11.85 ¥1,844

-16.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$5.34 ¥831

101.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$14.55 ¥2,265

1.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$5.55 ¥864

-26.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.20 ¥343

-28.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$2.77 ¥431

-23.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$4.06 ¥633

-45.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$2.51 ¥391

-18.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.54 ¥239

-2.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.26 ¥196

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.72 ¥112

61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.69 ¥574

5.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$6.35 ¥989

127.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.72 ¥268

-8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$1.99 ¥310

42.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$3.35 ¥521

-65.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$3.11 ¥485

-58.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$2.46 ¥382

-15.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$20.32 ¥3,163

-57.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.05 ¥164

23.81%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

28.27%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$14.5K ¥2.3M

145.47%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$131 ¥20.4K

34.41%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$17.94 ¥2,792

-25.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$31.96 ¥4,974

-6.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$61.9 ¥9,629

-27.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$10.82 ¥1,683

-42.70%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$633 ¥98.6K

25.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

-37.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$34.98 ¥5,444

144.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$24.53 ¥3,818

138.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$55.4 ¥8,622

146.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$61.4 ¥9,560

67.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$409 ¥63.7K

159.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$226 ¥35.1K

201.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,517 ¥236.1K

-56.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.06

431.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Saitama: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $409 in Saitama. 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 128% higher in Saitama, 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 $31.00 in Saitama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $278 – making Saitama 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 Saitama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 74%, 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 $1,475 in Saitama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saitama, 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 $31.00 in Saitama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saitama, where all-in costs run around $983, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Saitama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saitama – 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 Saitama. 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.