Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tsukuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tsukuba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,147 in Tsukuba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,838 in Tsukuba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,529 in Tsukuba, rent included.

Medellin costs about 46% more than Tsukuba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tsukuba is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.49 ¥1,013

23.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$33.44 ¥5,218

43.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.04 ¥787

96.23%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.81 ¥439

11.39%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.98 ¥153

94.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.81 ¥126

86.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.13 ¥333

46.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.28 ¥512

75.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.47 ¥230

-2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.71 ¥267

45.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.18 ¥497

-44.34%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.04 ¥318

45.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$12.03 ¥1,877

-16.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.23 ¥972

62.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.97 ¥2,336

-4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$5.70 ¥889

-27.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.85 ¥445

-43.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.89 ¥451

-22.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.32 ¥674

-47.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.67 ¥417

-23.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.75 ¥429

-44.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.80 ¥125

46.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.77 ¥119

70.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.97 ¥620

-1.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.57 ¥1,026

113.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.81 ¥282

-3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.09 ¥325

37.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.55 ¥242

-21.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$49.63 ¥7,744

62.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.17 ¥494

-58.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.58 ¥402

-15.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$20.96 ¥3,270

-58.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.09 ¥170

25.69%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$22.4K ¥3.5M

24.34%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$18.8K ¥2.9M

90.08%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$137 ¥21.4K

29.00%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$24.86 ¥3,879

-44.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$33.10 ¥5,165

-10.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$56.9 ¥8,872

-21.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$12.98 ¥2,025

-48.77%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$97.6 ¥15.2K

732.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-39.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$49.49 ¥7,722

80.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$33.07 ¥5,160

78.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$39.12 ¥6,104

253.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$42.51 ¥6,632

140.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$474 ¥74.0K

123.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$292 ¥45.6K

126.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,138 ¥177.6K

65.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$648 ¥101.1K

58.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$3,469 ¥541.3K

20.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,579 ¥246.4K

6.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,495 ¥233.3K

-54.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

447.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tsukuba: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $474 in Tsukuba. 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 121% higher in Tsukuba, 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 Tsukuba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $296 – making Tsukuba 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 Tsukuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 46%, 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 $1,721 in Tsukuba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tsukuba, 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 Tsukuba. 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 $1,147 in Tsukuba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tsukuba, where all-in costs run around $1,147, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Tsukuba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tsukuba – 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 Tsukuba. 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.