Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Bali vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,328 per month in Bali vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,367 per month in Bali vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Bali costs about 27% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Bali 4% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 Rp 53.5K

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-50.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.53 Rp 478.4K

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-19.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 Rp 73.7K

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-42.31%

Cappuccino

$2.25 Rp 40.5K

$1.71 COP 6,093

31.58%

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

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

$1.10 COP 3,910

3.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

$0.78 COP 2,771

-20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 43.7K

$1.68 COP 5,976

44.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

$3.07 COP 10.9K

7.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$1.09 COP 3,892

58.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

$1.26 COP 4,492

92.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.38 COP 4,905

-16.67%

Eggs

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

$2.19 COP 7,799

5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 Rp 247.0K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

211.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 Rp 74.5K

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-26.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 Rp 204.3K

$8.89 COP 31.6K

27.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 Rp 62.3K

$2.34 COP 8,319

47.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$1.06 COP 3,764

44.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.7K

$1.50 COP 5,355

80.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 38.7K

$1.38 COP 4,906

55.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.9K

$1.15 COP 4,097

59.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 38.4K

$1.16 COP 4,141

83.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$0.89 COP 3,170

10.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Rp 12.2K

$0.84 COP 2,986

-20.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 Rp 57.0K

$2.28 COP 8,116

38.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 411.2K

$10.64 COP 37.9K

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 47.8K

$1.20 COP 4,268

120.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 49.1K

$2.47 COP 8,793

10.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,830

$0.86 COP 3,045

-68.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.46 Rp 152.6K

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-79.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,240

$1.47 COP 5,245

-68.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,256

$1.96 COP 6,984

-76.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 Rp 108.3K

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-22.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$0.95 COP 3,397

-13.68%

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

$26.0K Rp 468.8M

$18.1K COP 64.5M

43.38%

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

$31.9K Rp 574.7M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

20.32%

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

$79.7 Rp 1.4M

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-3.09%

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

$3.92 Rp 70.7K

$9.50 COP 33.8K

-58.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 Rp 439.2K

$24.23 COP 86.2K

0.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$25.89 COP 92.1K

218.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.30 Rp 95.5K

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-72.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 Rp 62.1K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-12.47%

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

$267 Rp 4.8M

$309 COP 1.1M

-13.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,920 Rp 106.8M

$5,965 COP 21.2M

-0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 Rp 919.9K

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-13.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.67 Rp 661.3K

$32.35 COP 115.1K

13.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

$103 COP 365.1K

-18.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

$108 COP 385.8K

-31.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 Rp 15.4M

$476 COP 1.7M

79.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 Rp 10.3M

$379 COP 1.3M

51.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,981 Rp 53.8M

$838 COP 3.0M

255.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 Rp 32.2M

$724 COP 2.6M

146.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 Rp 42.8M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-14.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,973 Rp 35.6M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

62.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 Rp 4.0M

$512 COP 1.8M

-56.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

13.43

-1.12%

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

Last update for Bali: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $854 in Bali versus $476 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 130% higher in Medellin, 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 $27.00 in Bali versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Bali vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bali vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 27% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,932 per month in Bali and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $27.00 in Bali and $33.00 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 $1,288 in Bali and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Bali at $1,288. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $1,288 in Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.