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 $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,017 in Ambon versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,367 in Ambon versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 35% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 50% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.96 Rp 17.3K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-84.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.48 Rp 223.8K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-61.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 59.3K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-54.90%

Cappuccino

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

$1.72 COP 5,600

-2.33%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,893

$1.05 COP 3,420

-47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,695

$0.77 COP 2,515

-66.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 Rp 45.1K

$1.69 COP 5,488

48.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 Rp 62.8K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

10.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.05 COP 3,423

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.30 COP 4,236

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$1.40 COP 4,544

-37.14%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$2.16 COP 7,047

-29.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 Rp 146.7K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

86.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 55.5K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-47.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 Rp 144.2K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.28 COP 7,426

1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$1.11 COP 3,604

29.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$1.53 COP 4,983

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.35 COP 4,410

14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

$1.13 COP 3,674

17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.4K

$1.13 COP 3,692

74.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

$0.85 COP 2,753

11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,973

$0.91 COP 2,975

-51.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 Rp 45.3K

$2.34 COP 7,630

8.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.83 Rp 355.7K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

60.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 Rp 38.1K

$1.20 COP 3,909

77.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 Rp 55.5K

$2.49 COP 8,104

24.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,789

$0.84 COP 2,728

-61.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.00 Rp 179.4K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-75.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$1.42 COP 4,623

-59.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,173

$1.92 COP 6,235

-82.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 Rp 51.0K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-62.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

$0.99 COP 3,223

-17.17%

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

$24.6K Rp 440.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

36.23%

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

$28.0K Rp 501.5M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

4.98%

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

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-15.15%

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

$4.23 Rp 75.8K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-57.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.66 Rp 406.5K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-6.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.66 Rp 406.4K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-9.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 Rp 108.0K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-68.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 Rp 55.4K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-22.36%

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

$93.2 Rp 1.7M

$305 COP 993.5K

-69.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,695 Rp 138.0M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

27.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.17 Rp 738.6K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-29.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.46 Rp 546.4K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-5.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 Rp 1.2M

$101 COP 327.9K

-32.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$108 COP 350.8K

-30.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.6M

$477 COP 1.6M

-45.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.8M

$376 COP 1.2M

-58.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 Rp 10.5M

$845 COP 2.7M

-30.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 Rp 5.9M

$730 COP 2.4M

-55.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,059 Rp 19.0M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-67.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$671 Rp 12.0M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-51.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$617 COP 2.0M

-72.86%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Ambon and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 268% 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 $206 vs $193, 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 54% 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 268% 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: $258 in Ambon versus $477 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 $1,031 in Medellin – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 306% 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 $1,031 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 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.