Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $637 in Ambon versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,006 in Ambon versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,375 in Ambon versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 63% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ambon is 54% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-86.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.40 Rp 255.8K

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-70.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.98 Rp 70.7K

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-59.26%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

$2.91 COP 9,167

-48.80%

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

$0.46 Rp 8,246

$1.94 COP 6,122

-76.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 Rp 5,140

$1.52 COP 4,792

-80.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

$3.09 COP 9,740

-26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 Rp 63.0K

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-38.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

$1.36 COP 4,296

-22.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 Rp 18.6K

$2.39 COP 7,519

-56.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$1.70 COP 5,356

-52.35%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.5K

$2.87 COP 9,038

-50.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 Rp 128.0K

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-27.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 52.7K

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-72.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 Rp 137.5K

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-47.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.1K

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-44.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.8K

$1.57 COP 4,950

-18.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 Rp 31.2K

$2.13 COP 6,695

-17.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 21.9K

$2.21 COP 6,972

-44.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.2K

$2.05 COP 6,447

-36.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.3K

$1.50 COP 4,737

28.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

$1.19 COP 3,747

-33.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,746

$1.16 COP 3,647

-62.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-43.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.02 Rp 355.7K

$14.44 COP 45.5K

38.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 Rp 33.4K

$1.58 COP 4,987

18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.5K

$2.83 COP 8,905

4.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,573

$1.17 COP 3,679

-77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.05 Rp 302.9K

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-78.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,300

$1.28 COP 4,045

-59.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,795

$2.09 COP 6,589

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 Rp 44.4K

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-71.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$1.30 COP 4,088

-37.69%

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

$20.7K Rp 367.1M

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-25.29%

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

$33.7K Rp 598.3M

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-5.15%

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

$59.1 Rp 1.0M

$176 COP 554.5K

-66.43%

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

$5.57 Rp 98.9K

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-58.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.77 Rp 351.2K

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-33.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.78 Rp 386.9K

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-51.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.47 Rp 168.3K

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-44.49%

Cinema Ticket

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-76.94%

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

$107 Rp 1.9M

$793 COP 2.5M

-86.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,705 Rp 136.9M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-14.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.48 Rp 772.5K

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-49.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 Rp 529.9K

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-48.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 Rp 1.3M

$136 COP 429.3K

-47.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 Rp 1.3M

$103 COP 324.7K

-29.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 Rp 3.5M

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-81.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 Rp 2.5M

$680 COP 2.1M

-79.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 Rp 11.3M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-68.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 Rp 5.6M

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-73.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,193 Rp 21.2M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-70.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$652 Rp 11.6M

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-61.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$123 Rp 2.2M

$665 COP 2.1M

-81.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

10.94

-13.53%

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

Last update for Ambon: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Ambon and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 439% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Ambon vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $303 per month, with Ambon cheaper across the board.

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

Ambon vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 170% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 439% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $199 in Ambon versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $637 per month in Ambon versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 356% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $637 in Ambon versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $637 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ambon and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.