Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Suginami-ku and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Suginami-ku: $1,218 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Suginami-ku
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,218
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Suginami-ku 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 Suginami-ku and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Suginami-ku vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Suginami-ku $1,218
  • Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $1,952 per month in Suginami-ku vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Suginami-ku $1,952
  • Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $2,685 per month in Suginami-ku vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Suginami-ku $2,685
  • Medellin $3,199

Suginami-ku is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Suginami-ku sits 10% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Suginami-ku
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.43 ¥1,015
$8.30 COP 26.3K
-22.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.74 ¥6,595
$46.91 COP 148.7K
-11.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.93 ¥780
$9.24 COP 29.3K
-46.65%
Cappuccino
$3.45 ¥546
$3.05 COP 9,676
13.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 ¥166
$1.80 COP 5,707
-41.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 ¥127
$1.38 COP 4,382
-42.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.50 ¥395
$3.24 COP 10.3K
-22.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 ¥487
$5.56 COP 17.6K
-44.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Suginami-ku
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 ¥229
$1.50 COP 4,760
-3.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 ¥270
$2.37 COP 7,508
-27.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.68 ¥581
$1.70 COP 5,377
116.47%
Eggs
$2.07 ¥327
$2.96 COP 9,379
-30.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.21 ¥1,613
$10.22 COP 32.4K
-0.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.11 ¥966
$9.74 COP 30.9K
-37.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.65 ¥2,314
$13.90 COP 44.1K
5.40%
Apples (1kg)
$5.74 ¥907
$4.13 COP 13.1K
38.98%
Banana (1kg)
$2.73 ¥431
$1.53 COP 4,839
78.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.95 ¥466
$2.22 COP 7,052
32.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 ¥671
$2.27 COP 7,194
87.22%
Potato (1kg)
$2.50 ¥395
$1.99 COP 6,311
25.63%
Onion (1kg)
$2.57 ¥406
$1.67 COP 5,285
53.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 ¥202
$1.18 COP 3,742
8.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 ¥119
$1.24 COP 3,919
-39.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.88 ¥613
$3.87 COP 12.3K
0.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.35 ¥1,003
$13.78 COP 43.7K
-53.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ¥275
$1.66 COP 5,256
4.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 ¥331
$2.40 COP 7,615
-12.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Suginami-ku
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.50 ¥237
$1.24 COP 3,944
20.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.9 ¥8,507
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-31.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ¥491
$1.28 COP 4,044
142.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.66 ¥421
$2.15 COP 6,803
23.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.63 ¥3,259
$8.37 COP 26.5K
146.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ¥174
$1.35 COP 4,288
-18.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K ¥3.4M
$34.8K COP 110.2M
-38.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.1K ¥2.9M
$34.7K COP 110.0M
-47.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suginami-ku
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$131 ¥20.8K
$167 COP 528.4K
-21.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.77 ¥3,756
$13.62 COP 43.2K
74.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.80 ¥5,024
$29.12 COP 92.3K
9.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Suginami-ku
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.7 ¥8,324
$45.09 COP 143.0K
16.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.36 ¥1,953
$6.97 COP 22.1K
77.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Suginami-ku
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$629 ¥99.4K
$790 COP 2.5M
-20.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.6K ¥2.3M
$9,041 COP 28.7M
61.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Suginami-ku
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.3 ¥9,690
$87.8 COP 278.4K
-30.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.07 ¥5,699
$58.2 COP 184.4K
-37.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.2 ¥9,663
$139 COP 440.7K
-55.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 ¥16.3K
$98.9 COP 313.5K
4.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Suginami-ku
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$532 ¥84.1K
$1,028 COP 3.3M
-48.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$335 ¥53.0K
$620 COP 2.0M
-45.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,097 ¥173.3K
$1,881 COP 6.0M
-41.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$743 ¥117.4K
$1,008 COP 3.2M
-26.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,276 ¥675.5K
$3,988 COP 12.6M
7.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,779 ¥281.1K
$1,702 COP 5.4M
4.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Suginami-ku
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,822 ¥445.9K
$663 COP 2.1M
325.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2
10.94
-81.72%

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

Last update for Suginami-ku: October 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Suginami-ku
$335
Medellin
$619 84.8% $284
Groceries & Markets
Suginami-ku
$290
Medellin
$298 2.7% $7.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suginami-ku
$187
Medellin
$209 12% $22
Eating Out
Suginami-ku
$134
Medellin
$171 27.7% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Suginami-ku
$118
Medellin
$173 46.7% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Suginami-ku
$77
Medellin
$59 23.7% $18
Getting Around
Suginami-ku
$76
Medellin
$95 24.8% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $532 in Suginami-ku 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 325% higher in Suginami-ku, 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 $42.00 in Suginami-ku versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $298 – making Suginami-ku the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Suginami-ku
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
02:03 2:03 AM
12:03 12:03 PM
14 h behind Suginami-ku
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
540,180
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 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
  • Suginami-ku Medellin 14,070 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Suginami-ku
  • 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
Suginami-ku vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Suginami-ku?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,826 per month in Suginami-ku 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 Suginami-ku, 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 Suginami-ku or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Suginami-ku 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 Suginami-ku and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,218 in Suginami-ku and $1,625 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 33%.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Suginami-ku or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suginami-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,218, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Suginami-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Suginami-ku or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Suginami-ku – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Suginami-ku or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Suginami-ku. 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.

Suginami-ku vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?