Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikpapan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikpapan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $778 in Balikpapan versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Balikpapan versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,622 in Balikpapan versus $2,144 in Medellin.

Living in Balikpapan costs roughly 24% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Balikpapan 42% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-73.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.13 Rp 268.0K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-53.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-54.85%

Cappuccino

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$1.65 COP 5,659

4.85%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,116

$1.07 COP 3,663

-62.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 Rp 6,803

$0.76 COP 2,607

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

$1.72 COP 5,908

16.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$3.20 COP 11.0K

-1.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 Rp 33.6K

$1.05 COP 3,597

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.31 COP 4,479

-6.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.34 COP 4,591

-5.22%

Eggs

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.19 COP 7,521

21.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 Rp 140.3K

$4.41 COP 15.1K

79.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 Rp 89.2K

$5.69 COP 19.5K

-11.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-6.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 Rp 66.0K

$2.34 COP 8,023

59.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.11 COP 3,804

39.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

$1.52 COP 5,210

39.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.3K

$1.37 COP 4,680

-8.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.1K

$1.15 COP 3,950

57.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

$1.18 COP 4,043

206.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

$0.84 COP 2,885

11.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

$0.86 COP 2,931

-8.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$2.26 COP 7,753

-8.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.59 Rp 382.5K

$11.60 COP 39.8K

86.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$1.20 COP 4,109

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 Rp 76.8K

$2.48 COP 8,484

74.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

$0.79 COP 2,721

-20.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.67 Rp 171.2K

$40.83 COP 139.9K

-76.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$1.47 COP 5,023

-14.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,652

$1.92 COP 6,568

-80.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-23.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

$1.01 COP 3,464

-26.73%

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

$24.5K Rp 434.5M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

38.90%

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

$26.0K Rp 460.5M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-1.73%

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

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

$81.1 COP 277.9K

13.56%

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

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$9.43 COP 32.3K

-68.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.61 Rp 560.0K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

32.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.70 Rp 384.3K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

-16.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 Rp 107.3K

$18.71 COP 64.1K

-67.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 Rp 55.3K

$4.09 COP 14.0K

-23.72%

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

$61.9 Rp 1.1M

$315 COP 1.1M

-80.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,588 Rp 134.4M

$6,022 COP 20.6M

26.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.41 Rp 733.6K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-30.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.63 Rp 365.5K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

-35.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 Rp 2.2M

$101 COP 346.9K

22.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 Rp 2.2M

$105 COP 360.3K

17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$485 COP 1.7M

-54.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 Rp 2.8M

$365 COP 1.3M

-57.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 Rp 8.7M

$827 COP 2.8M

-40.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 Rp 5.5M

$730 COP 2.5M

-57.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,084 Rp 19.2M

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-63.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$628 Rp 11.1M

$1,314 COP 4.5M

-52.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$195 Rp 3.4M

$551 COP 1.9M

-64.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.69%

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

Last update for Balikpapan: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Balikpapan and $485 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 183% 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: $15.00 in Balikpapan vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $190, 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

Balikpapan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Balikpapan and Medellin differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($778 vs $1,028 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 183% 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: $222 in Balikpapan versus $485 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 322% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $61.9 in Balikpapan versus $315 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $778 in Balikpapan versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.