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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,290 per month in Bali vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,302 per month in Bali vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,314 per month in Bali vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Bali costs about 25% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Bali 3% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 Rp 51.4K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-53.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.11 Rp 487.2K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-16.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 Rp 76.3K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-42.10%

Cappuccino

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.72 COP 5,599

30.23%

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

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

$1.05 COP 3,420

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

$0.77 COP 2,515

-24.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 43.5K

$1.69 COP 5,487

43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 Rp 59.6K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

4.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

$1.05 COP 3,423

58.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.30 COP 4,236

87.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 19.6K

$1.40 COP 4,544

-22.14%

Eggs

$2.25 Rp 40.5K

$2.16 COP 7,046

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.93 Rp 250.3K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

217.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 73.7K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-30.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 Rp 203.8K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

31.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 65.8K

$2.28 COP 7,425

60.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.7K

$1.11 COP 3,603

38.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 Rp 47.8K

$1.53 COP 4,982

73.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$1.35 COP 4,410

63.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

$1.13 COP 3,674

61.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 Rp 37.4K

$1.13 COP 3,692

84.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.85 COP 2,753

22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$0.91 COP 2,975

-24.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 Rp 55.8K

$2.34 COP 7,629

32.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.34 Rp 401.5K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

80.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 Rp 47.2K

$1.20 COP 3,909

118.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 47.6K

$2.49 COP 8,104

6.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,804

$0.84 COP 2,727

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.19 Rp 147.1K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-79.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,084

$1.42 COP 4,623

-68.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,243

$1.92 COP 6,235

-76.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 Rp 107.7K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-21.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.99 COP 3,223

-17.17%

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

$26.0K Rp 466.5M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

43.97%

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

$32.6K Rp 585.7M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

22.40%

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

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-1.81%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-59.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.04 Rp 432.1K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 Rp 1.4M

$25.08 COP 81.6K

221.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.47 Rp 98.2K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-71.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 59.1K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-17.34%

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

$273 Rp 4.9M

$305 COP 993.4K

-10.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,104 Rp 109.7M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

0.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 Rp 943.7K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-9.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.11 Rp 666.9K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

15.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

$101 COP 327.9K

-17.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$108 COP 350.8K

-32.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 Rp 15.5M

$477 COP 1.6M

80.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 Rp 10.5M

$376 COP 1.2M

54.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,932 Rp 52.7M

$845 COP 2.7M

247.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 Rp 32.4M

$730 COP 2.4M

146.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,406 Rp 43.2M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-25.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,957 Rp 35.2M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

42.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 Rp 4.0M

$617 COP 2.0M

-64.14%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in Bali versus $477 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 179% 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 $193 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 25% 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 $1,935 per month in Bali and $1,546 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 $1,290 in Bali and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Bali at $1,290. 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 $1,031 versus $1,290 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.