Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambon: $653 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Ambon
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Ambon Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Ambon

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$653

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $653 in Ambon versus $1,625 in Medellin.

Ambon $653
Medellin $1,625

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,017 in Ambon versus $2,412 in Medellin.

Ambon $1,017
Medellin $2,412

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,380 in Ambon versus $3,199 in Medellin.

Ambon $1,380
Medellin $3,199

Living in Ambon costs roughly 60% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ambon is 52% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.09 Rp 19.6K

$8.30 COP 26.3K

-86.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.74 Rp 247.3K

$46.91 COP 148.7K

-70.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 Rp 70.7K

$9.24 COP 29.3K

-57.47%

Cappuccino

$1.53 Rp 27.6K

$3.05 COP 9,676

-49.84%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,567

$1.80 COP 5,707

-76.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 Rp 5,193

$1.38 COP 4,382

-78.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 Rp 40.8K

$3.24 COP 10.3K

-29.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 Rp 60.0K

$5.56 COP 17.6K

-39.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.4K

$1.50 COP 4,760

-28.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$2.37 COP 7,508

-56.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.70 COP 5,377

-51.76%

Eggs

$1.35 Rp 24.3K

$2.96 COP 9,379

-54.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.09 Rp 127.6K

$10.22 COP 32.4K

-30.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

$9.74 COP 30.9K

-70.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 Rp 137.8K

$13.90 COP 44.1K

-44.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 39.3K

$4.13 COP 13.1K

-47.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 23.1K

$1.53 COP 4,839

-16.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 Rp 31.4K

$2.22 COP 7,052

-21.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$2.27 COP 7,194

-46.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.4K

$1.99 COP 6,311

-37.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 34.3K

$1.67 COP 5,285

13.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 Rp 14.1K

$1.18 COP 3,742

-33.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,598

$1.24 COP 3,919

-66.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.27 Rp 40.9K

$3.87 COP 12.3K

-41.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.12 Rp 380.1K

$13.78 COP 43.7K

53.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$1.66 COP 5,256

9.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.5K

$2.40 COP 7,615

19.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 Rp 5,000

$1.24 COP 3,944

-77.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.74 Rp 301.3K

$78.2 COP 248.0K

-78.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,984

$1.28 COP 4,044

-60.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 6,011

$2.15 COP 6,803

-84.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 Rp 51.9K

$8.37 COP 26.5K

-65.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.35 COP 4,288

-40.00%

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

$25.5K Rp 458.2M

$34.8K COP 110.2M

-26.77%

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

$30.1K Rp 541.1M

$34.7K COP 110.0M

-13.34%

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

$71.6 Rp 1.3M

$167 COP 528.4K

-57.04%

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

$5.63 Rp 101.3K

$13.62 COP 43.2K

-58.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.00 Rp 341.9K

$29.12 COP 92.3K

-34.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.61 Rp 370.9K

$45.09 COP 143.0K

-54.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.59 Rp 136.6K

$17.18 COP 54.5K

-55.82%

Cinema Ticket

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

$6.97 COP 22.1K

-80.63%

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

$87.9 Rp 1.6M

$790 COP 2.5M

-88.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,380 Rp 132.8M

$9,041 COP 28.7M

-18.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.16 Rp 794.9K

$87.8 COP 278.4K

-49.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.07 Rp 505.2K

$58.2 COP 184.4K

-51.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

$139 COP 440.7K

-47.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

$98.9 COP 313.5K

-29.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 Rp 4.5M

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-75.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$620 COP 2.0M

-73.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 Rp 9.3M

$1,881 COP 6.0M

-72.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 Rp 6.6M

$1,008 COP 3.2M

-63.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,247 Rp 22.4M

$3,988 COP 12.6M

-68.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$889 Rp 16.0M

$1,702 COP 5.4M

-47.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$123 Rp 2.2M

$663 COP 2.1M

-81.49%

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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Ambon

$193 29.5%

Medellin

$298 18.3% 54.6% $105

Accommodation & Living

Ambon

$164 25.2%

Medellin

$619 38.1% 277% $455

Clothing & Footwear

Ambon

$97 14.8%

Medellin

$173 10.6% 78.8% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ambon

$96 14.7%

Medellin

$209 12.9% 118% $113

Eating Out

Ambon

$60 9.2%

Medellin

$171 10.5% 186% $111

Sport & Entertainment

Ambon

$23 3.6%

Medellin

$59 3.6% 153% $36

Getting Around

Ambon

$20 3.1%

Medellin

$95 5.9% 376% $75

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $250 in Ambon and $1,028 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 440% 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 $47.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $298 per month, with Ambon cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ambon

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

00:16 12:16 AM

10:16 10:16 AM

14 h behind Ambon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

275,888

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 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).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ambon Medellin 17,370 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Ambon
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

Ambon vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 149% 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 440% 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: $250 in Ambon versus $1,028 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $653 per month in Ambon versus $1,625 in Medellin – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 367% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $653 in Ambon versus $1,625 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 $653 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 149% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.