Cost of Living Comparison Between Shiga and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Shiga and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,241 per month in Shiga vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,929 per month in Shiga vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,618 per month in Shiga vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Shiga is about 26% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Shiga sits 9% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 ¥1,010

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-19.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.75 ¥4,959

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-33.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 ¥788

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-49.04%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ¥472

$3.13 COP 9,873

-3.51%

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

$1.31 ¥205

$1.91 COP 6,019

-31.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥110

$1.51 COP 4,763

-52.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 ¥442

$3.12 COP 9,853

-9.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ¥566

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-36.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ¥205

$1.44 COP 4,558

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ¥201

$2.49 COP 7,843

-48.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 ¥619

$1.77 COP 5,595

124.29%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$2.96 COP 9,336

-29.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 ¥1,493

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 ¥1,463

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-7.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.74 ¥2,926

$14.30 COP 45.1K

31.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ¥555

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-14.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 ¥305

$1.61 COP 5,073

21.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ¥320

$2.25 COP 7,083

-8.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 ¥643

$2.25 COP 7,104

83.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ¥243

$2.04 COP 6,444

-24.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ¥181

$1.54 COP 4,842

-24.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥210

$1.17 COP 3,691

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥125

$1.31 COP 4,121

-38.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 ¥611

$3.90 COP 12.3K

0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,482

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ¥302

$1.74 COP 5,498

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.87 COP 9,053

11.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 ¥185

$1.22 COP 3,834

-3.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 ¥9,138

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-27.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ¥599

$1.31 COP 4,129

193.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 ¥495

$2.19 COP 6,899

44.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.08 ¥3,448

$8.71 COP 27.5K

153.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥174

$1.37 COP 4,306

-18.98%

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

$21.8K ¥3.4M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-21.53%

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

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-57.60%

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

$143 ¥22.3K

$177 COP 559.3K

-19.48%

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

$25.02 ¥3,908

$13.88 COP 43.8K

80.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.05 ¥2,975

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-35.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 ¥8,091

$44.88 COP 141.6K

15.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$6.65 COP 21.0K

84.96%

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

$535 ¥83.5K

$813 COP 2.6M

-34.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$9,187 COP 29.0M

43.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 ¥7,826

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-44.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.73 ¥4,799

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-47.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 ¥11.6K

$138 COP 435.9K

-46.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 ¥14.7K

$102 COP 322.1K

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ¥79.0K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-52.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ¥52.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

-49.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 ¥163.2K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-44.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 ¥116.3K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-27.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥615.9K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-5.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,670 ¥260.8K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-0.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,227 ¥191.6K

$678 COP 2.1M

80.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

10.94

-79.80%

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

Last update for Shiga: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Shiga versus $1,062 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 81% higher in Shiga, 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 $32.00 in Shiga versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $305 – making Shiga 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

Shiga vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,862 per month in Shiga and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shiga, 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 $32.00 in Shiga and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,241 in Shiga and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shiga, where all-in costs run around $1,241, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Shiga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shiga – 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 Shiga. 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.