Cost of Living Comparison Between Suginami-ku and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Suginami-ku and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,203 per month in Suginami-ku vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,949 per month in Suginami-ku vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,695 per month in Suginami-ku vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Suginami-ku is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Suginami-ku sits 12% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.19 ¥964

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-22.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.65 ¥6,793

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-9.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 ¥763

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-49.85%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥527

$2.91 COP 9,149

16.15%

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

$1.04 ¥161

$1.94 COP 6,110

-46.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥124

$1.52 COP 4,783

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 ¥381

$3.09 COP 9,721

-20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥500

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-43.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ¥214

$1.36 COP 4,287

1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 ¥265

$2.39 COP 7,505

-28.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 ¥577

$1.70 COP 5,346

118.24%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$2.87 COP 9,021

-27.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 ¥1,808

$9.94 COP 31.2K

16.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 ¥943

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-43.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.43 ¥2,246

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-2.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.65 ¥879

$4.09 COP 12.8K

38.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥417

$1.57 COP 4,940

70.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 ¥439

$2.13 COP 6,682

32.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 ¥660

$2.21 COP 6,959

91.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ¥407

$2.05 COP 6,435

27.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ¥404

$1.50 COP 4,728

73.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.19 COP 3,740

7.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥116

$1.16 COP 3,640

-36.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 ¥571

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-5.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 ¥990

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-55.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥269

$1.58 COP 4,978

9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥321

$2.83 COP 8,889

-27.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 ¥224

$1.17 COP 3,672

23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.8 ¥8,057

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-33.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 ¥496

$1.28 COP 4,038

148.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 ¥378

$2.09 COP 6,576

16.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.03 ¥3,118

$8.62 COP 27.1K

132.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥163

$1.30 COP 4,080

-19.23%

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

$21.5K ¥3.4M

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-22.16%

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

$17.9K ¥2.8M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-49.49%

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

$129 ¥20.1K

$176 COP 553.4K

-26.60%

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

$24.39 ¥3,796

$13.37 COP 42.0K

82.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.96 ¥4,975

$29.89 COP 94.0K

6.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ¥8,791

$44.76 COP 140.7K

26.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$12.62 ¥1,965

$6.20 COP 19.5K

103.55%

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

$633 ¥98.5K

$793 COP 2.5M

-20.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ¥2.3M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

60.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 ¥9,455

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-29.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.25 ¥5,019

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-44.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.9 ¥9,317

$136 COP 428.4K

-56.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ¥15.6K

$103 COP 324.1K

-2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 ¥73.0K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-55.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ¥46.4K

$680 COP 2.1M

-56.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 ¥164.4K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-47.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ¥122.9K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-32.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,552 ¥708.4K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

10.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,860 ¥289.5K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

9.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,792 ¥434.5K

$665 COP 2.1M

319.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-81.72%

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

Last update for Suginami-ku: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $469 in Suginami-ku versus $1,060 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 320% 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 $44.00 in Suginami-ku versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $303 – making Suginami-ku 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

Suginami-ku vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,805 per month in Suginami-ku and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Suginami-ku 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 $1,203 in Suginami-ku and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suginami-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,203, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Suginami-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 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.