Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yokohama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yokohama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,385 in Yokohama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,142 in Yokohama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,898 in Yokohama, rent included.

Medellin costs about 18% more than Yokohama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Yokohama sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Yokohama by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$6.51 ¥1,000

23.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$41.89 ¥6,433

15.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.20 ¥798

81.15%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.48 ¥534

-15.52%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.12 ¥172

66.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.77 ¥118

89.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.53 ¥389

26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.20 ¥491

78.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.41 ¥217

2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.77 ¥272

35.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.64 ¥560

-53.30%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.07 ¥318

39.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$12.06 ¥1,851

-16.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.15 ¥944

62.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$14.67 ¥2,252

-3.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$5.89 ¥905

-32.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.79 ¥428

-43.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.91 ¥446

-26.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.21 ¥647

-45.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.61 ¥401

-23.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.68 ¥412

-43.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.33 ¥204

-9.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.77 ¥118

66.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.92 ¥602

-2.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$6.37 ¥979

119.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.80 ¥277

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.08 ¥320

31.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.39 ¥213

-10.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$57.7 ¥8,856

35.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$3.15 ¥484

-58.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$2.62 ¥403

-17.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$21.02 ¥3,227

-60.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.15 ¥176

18.26%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$21.7K ¥3.3M

26.76%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$19.0K ¥2.9M

91.82%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$135 ¥20.8K

24.77%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$25.04 ¥3,845

-45.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$32.42 ¥4,978

-12.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$51.3 ¥7,879

-10.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$11.82 ¥1,815

45.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$12.88 ¥1,977

-48.37%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$647 ¥99.3K

24.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-37.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$65.1 ¥10.0K

34.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$32.63 ¥5,011

81.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$63.2 ¥9,708

119.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$103 ¥15.9K

-1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,191 ¥182.9K

-10.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$460 ¥70.6K

41.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$2,333 ¥358.2K

-17.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$855 ¥131.2K

22.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$7,041 ¥1.1M

-41.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$4,103 ¥630.0K

-58.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$2,740 ¥420.7K

-76.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.12

416.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,191 in Yokohama. 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 318% higher in Yokohama, 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 $42.00 in Yokohama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $298 – making Yokohama 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 Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 18%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,078 in Yokohama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yokohama, 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 $42.00 in Yokohama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,385 in Yokohama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Yokohama, where all-in costs run around $1,385, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Yokohama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yokohama – 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 Yokohama. 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.