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: $668 in Ambon versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,023 in Ambon versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,378 in Ambon versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 34% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 50% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-83.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.24 Rp 218.5K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-62.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.32 Rp 59.3K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-53.17%

Cappuccino

$1.66 Rp 29.7K

$1.71 COP 6,115

-2.92%

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

$0.54 Rp 9,671

$1.10 COP 3,924

-50.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,282

$0.78 COP 2,781

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 Rp 45.1K

$1.68 COP 5,997

50.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 Rp 62.3K

$3.07 COP 11.0K

13.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 21.9K

$1.09 COP 3,906

12.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.8K

$1.26 COP 4,508

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

$1.38 COP 4,922

-32.61%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.4K

$2.19 COP 7,827

-27.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Rp 142.1K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

80.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 56.1K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-44.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 Rp 140.0K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-11.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.1K

$2.34 COP 8,349

-1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$1.06 COP 3,777

40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

$1.50 COP 5,374

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

$1.38 COP 4,924

11.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

$1.15 COP 4,111

14.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.8K

$1.16 COP 4,155

68.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

$0.89 COP 3,182

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,310

$0.84 COP 2,997

-51.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 Rp 43.7K

$2.28 COP 8,145

7.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.81 Rp 389.4K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

104.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 Rp 37.2K

$1.20 COP 4,284

73.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 Rp 55.6K

$2.47 COP 8,824

25.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,302

$0.86 COP 3,056

-65.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.07 Rp 179.8K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-75.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,472

$1.47 COP 5,264

-63.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,137

$1.96 COP 7,009

-82.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 Rp 51.8K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-62.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.95 COP 3,409

-18.95%

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

$24.1K Rp 430.3M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

32.91%

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

$27.7K Rp 494.3M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

4.51%

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

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-13.86%

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

$4.34 Rp 77.5K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-54.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.70 Rp 405.3K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-6.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.39 Rp 417.7K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-9.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.25 Rp 111.6K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-67.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 Rp 53.9K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-23.16%

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

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

$309 COP 1.1M

-69.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,536 Rp 134.6M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

26.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.81 Rp 746.6K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-28.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.35 Rp 542.0K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-6.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

$103 COP 366.4K

-33.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

$108 COP 387.2K

-32.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 Rp 4.7M

$476 COP 1.7M

-45.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.8M

$379 COP 1.4M

-58.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 Rp 10.6M

$838 COP 3.0M

-29.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 Rp 6.0M

$724 COP 2.6M

-53.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,080 Rp 19.3M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-61.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 Rp 12.7M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-41.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 Rp 3.1M

$512 COP 1.8M

-65.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.43

-31.87%

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

Last update for Ambon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Ambon and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 193% 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: $12.00 in Ambon vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $188, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 52% 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, Medellin earns 193% less. 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: $261 in Ambon versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $668 per month in Ambon versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 311% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $668 in Ambon versus $1,013 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 $668 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 52% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.