Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Utsunomiya

For one person, living is cheaper in Utsunomiya: $1,316 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Utsunomiya, Japan
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Utsunomiya
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,316
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Utsunomiya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Utsunomiya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,316 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Utsunomiya $1,316

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,971 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Utsunomiya $1,971

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $2,625 in Utsunomiya, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Utsunomiya $2,625

Medellin costs about 25% more than Utsunomiya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Utsunomiya is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Utsunomiya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$6.07 ¥958
33.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$16.88 ¥2,666
178.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$4.86 ¥768
95.47%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$3.52 ¥556
-14.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$1.07 ¥169
68.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$0.84 ¥133
67.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$3.11 ¥490
2.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$1.86 ¥293
209.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Utsunomiya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$1.45 ¥229
4.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$1.67 ¥264
42.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$5.63 ¥888
-68.56%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$2.25 ¥356
28.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$11.56 ¥1,825
-11.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$6.80 ¥1,074
45.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$16.74 ¥2,644
-16.43%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$4.85 ¥766
-18.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$2.27 ¥358
-31.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$4.25 ¥672
-48.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$5.27 ¥832
-58.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$3.40 ¥536
-42.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$3.01 ¥476
-47.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$1.18 ¥187
-2.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$0.79 ¥124
56.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$3.96 ¥626
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$9.70 ¥1,531
41.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,221
$1.68 ¥265
-1.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,103
$2.75 ¥434
-17.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Utsunomiya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
$1.25 ¥198
-6.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
$64.4 ¥10.2K
20.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$3.08 ¥486
-58.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$3.13 ¥495
-34.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$18.99 ¥2,998
-54.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$1.06 ¥167
27.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$22.8K ¥3.6M
49.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$15.2K ¥2.4M
127.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Utsunomiya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$150 ¥23.6K
13.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$23.41 ¥3,696
-42.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$30.11 ¥4,754
-6.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Utsunomiya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
$50.5 ¥7,980
-13.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
$12.49 ¥1,972
37.63%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$13.12 ¥2,072
-47.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Utsunomiya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$1,408 ¥222.3K
-43.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$18.2K ¥2.9M
-49.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Utsunomiya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$55.1 ¥8,694
53.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$32.60 ¥5,148
77.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$64.8 ¥10.2K
108.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$72.1 ¥11.4K
35.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Utsunomiya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$609 ¥96.2K
98.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$388 ¥61.3K
65.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$893 ¥141.0K
127.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$721 ¥113.9K
40.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
$3,783 ¥597.2K
10.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$2,111 ¥333.3K
-9.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Utsunomiya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
2.25
386.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Utsunomiya: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Utsunomiya
$388 39.5% $253
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Utsunomiya
$327 10% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Utsunomiya
$203 3.9% $8.2
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Utsunomiya
$132 22% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Utsunomiya
$101 40.2% $68
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Utsunomiya
$88 5.8% $5.4
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Utsunomiya
$77 33.5% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $609 in Utsunomiya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $17 in Utsunomiya. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $327 in Utsunomiya – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇯🇵 Utsunomiya
🕒 Local time
14:02 2:02 PM
04:02 4:02 AM
14 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
519,217
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Utsunomiya 13,990 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Utsunomiya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Utsunomiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Utsunomiya cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 25%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,974 in Utsunomiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Utsunomiya, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $609 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Utsunomiya?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $17 in Utsunomiya. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Utsunomiya?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,316 in Utsunomiya. That’s a gap of about 25%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Utsunomiya?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Utsunomiya, where all-in costs run around $1,316, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Utsunomiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Utsunomiya costs $1,316 versus $1,639 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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