Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagano and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Nagano: $1,231 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nagano
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,231
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nagano and in Medellin

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

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Nagano vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Nagano $1,231
  • Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $1,891 per month in Nagano vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Nagano $1,891
  • Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $2,550 per month in Nagano vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Nagano $2,550
  • Medellin $3,199

Nagano is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Nagano sits 9% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nagano
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.45 ¥1,019
$8.30 COP 26.3K
-22.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.32 ¥6,370
$46.91 COP 148.7K
-14.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.13 ¥810
$9.24 COP 29.3K
-44.48%
Cappuccino
$3.37 ¥532
$3.05 COP 9,676
10.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 ¥167
$1.80 COP 5,707
-41.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 ¥126
$1.38 COP 4,382
-42.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ¥409
$3.24 COP 10.3K
-20.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 ¥483
$5.56 COP 17.6K
-44.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nagano
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 ¥228
$1.50 COP 4,760
-3.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.64 ¥260
$2.37 COP 7,508
-30.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.57 ¥564
$1.70 COP 5,377
110.00%
Eggs
$1.99 ¥315
$2.96 COP 9,379
-32.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.32 ¥1,630
$10.22 COP 32.4K
0.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.17 ¥975
$9.74 COP 30.9K
-36.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.40 ¥2,275
$13.90 COP 44.1K
3.60%
Apples (1kg)
$5.82 ¥919
$4.13 COP 13.1K
40.92%
Banana (1kg)
$2.69 ¥425
$1.53 COP 4,839
75.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 ¥448
$2.22 COP 7,052
27.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.06 ¥642
$2.27 COP 7,194
78.85%
Potato (1kg)
$2.50 ¥396
$1.99 COP 6,311
25.63%
Onion (1kg)
$2.54 ¥401
$1.67 COP 5,285
52.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ¥197
$1.18 COP 3,742
5.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 ¥121
$1.24 COP 3,919
-38.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.68 ¥582
$3.87 COP 12.3K
-4.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.21 ¥982
$13.78 COP 43.7K
-54.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ¥287
$1.66 COP 5,256
9.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 ¥317
$2.40 COP 7,615
-16.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Nagano
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.31 ¥207
$1.24 COP 3,944
5.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$51.2 ¥8,082
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-34.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 ¥501
$1.28 COP 4,044
147.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.70 ¥427
$2.15 COP 6,803
25.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.17 ¥3,187
$8.37 COP 26.5K
140.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ¥166
$1.35 COP 4,288
-22.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ¥3.4M
$34.8K COP 110.2M
-37.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.5K ¥2.4M
$34.7K COP 110.0M
-55.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nagano
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$130 ¥20.6K
$167 COP 528.4K
-21.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.91 ¥3,778
$13.62 COP 43.2K
75.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.76 ¥2,016
$29.12 COP 92.3K
-56.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nagano
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.1 ¥8,387
$45.09 COP 143.0K
17.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.71 ¥2,008
$6.97 COP 22.1K
82.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nagano
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$622 ¥98.3K
$790 COP 2.5M
-21.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.9K ¥2.4M
$9,041 COP 28.7M
65.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nagano
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.8 ¥9,759
$87.8 COP 278.4K
-29.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.29 ¥5,733
$58.2 COP 184.4K
-37.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$62.0 ¥9,797
$139 COP 440.7K
-55.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 ¥15.8K
$98.9 COP 313.5K
1.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nagano
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$557 ¥88.0K
$1,028 COP 3.3M
-45.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$375 ¥59.2K
$620 COP 2.0M
-39.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 ¥180.4K
$1,881 COP 6.0M
-39.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$648 ¥102.4K
$1,008 COP 3.2M
-35.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,188 ¥661.7K
$3,988 COP 12.6M
5.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,974 ¥311.9K
$1,702 COP 5.4M
16.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nagano
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$627 ¥99.0K
$663 COP 2.1M
-5.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.64
10.94
-75.87%

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

Last update for Nagano: October 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nagano
$375
Medellin
$619 65.3% $245
Groceries & Markets
Nagano
$287
Medellin
$298 3.7% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nagano
$167
Medellin
$209 25.5% $43
Eating Out
Nagano
$134
Medellin
$171 27.6% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Nagano
$117
Medellin
$173 47.5% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Nagano
$79
Medellin
$59 24.8% $19
Getting Around
Nagano
$73
Medellin
$95 30.3% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $557 in Nagano versus $1,028 in Medellin. 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 6% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Nagano versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $298 – making Nagano the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Nagano
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
10:13 10:13 AM
20:13 8:13 PM
14 h behind Nagano
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
372,760
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nagano Medellin 14,090 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nagano
  • Medellin

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
Nagano vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Nagano?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,847 per month in Nagano and $2,437 in Medellin. 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 Nagano, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Nagano or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Nagano and $47.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Nagano and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,231 in Nagano and $1,625 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 32%.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Nagano or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nagano, where all-in costs run around $1,231, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Nagano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nagano or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nagano – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nagano. 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.

Nagano vs other spots: cost of living compared

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