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: $672 in Balikpapan versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,070 in Balikpapan versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Balikpapan versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Balikpapan costs roughly 60% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Balikpapan is 51% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-82.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-76.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-67.95%

Cappuccino

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

$3.13 COP 9,767

-53.67%

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

$0.38 Rp 6,782

$1.91 COP 5,954

-80.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,529

$1.51 COP 4,712

-75.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

$3.12 COP 9,747

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-38.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

$1.44 COP 4,509

-17.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$2.49 COP 7,759

-55.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

$1.77 COP 5,535

-33.90%

Eggs

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

$2.96 COP 9,235

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-27.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-70.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-52.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-44.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

$1.61 COP 5,019

-21.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

$2.25 COP 7,007

-24.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$2.25 COP 7,028

-44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

$2.04 COP 6,375

-35.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

$1.54 COP 4,790

30.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$1.17 COP 3,651

-37.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$1.31 COP 4,077

-47.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-51.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

47.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.74 COP 5,439

9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

$2.87 COP 8,956

4.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 Rp 9,817

$1.22 COP 3,792

-54.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$1.31 COP 4,084

-12.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 5,944

$2.19 COP 6,825

-84.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-66.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.37 COP 4,260

-44.53%

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

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-15.54%

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

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-12.85%

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

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

$177 COP 553.2K

-60.59%

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

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-67.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-45.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-49.53%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-57.14%

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

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

$813 COP 2.5M

-88.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-24.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-57.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-66.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 Rp 2.5M

$138 COP 431.2K

2.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$102 COP 318.7K

-30.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 Rp 3.6M

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-80.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$663 COP 2.1M

-76.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 Rp 9.9M

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-70.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 Rp 6.5M

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-64.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-74.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$709 Rp 12.6M

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-57.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 Rp 4.3M

$678 COP 2.1M

-63.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

10.94

-13.53%

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

Last update for Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Balikpapan and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 176% 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: $11.00 in Balikpapan vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $305 per month, with Balikpapan cheaper across the board.

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 150% in total monthly costs ($672 vs $1,681 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 176% 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: $203 in Balikpapan versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.7 in Balikpapan versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Balikpapan – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $672 in Balikpapan versus $1,681 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 150% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.