Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $626 in Bandung versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $941 in Bandung versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,255 in Bandung versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 39% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-78.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.48 Rp 170.1K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-70.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 59.3K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-54.90%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$1.72 COP 5,600

-13.37%

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

$0.52 Rp 9,356

$1.05 COP 3,420

-50.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,880

$0.77 COP 2,515

-64.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 Rp 59.4K

$1.69 COP 5,488

95.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 Rp 63.1K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

11.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.05 COP 3,423

15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.30 COP 4,236

-17.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

$1.40 COP 4,544

-32.14%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

$2.16 COP 7,047

-26.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 Rp 160.7K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

104.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 56.3K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-46.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 Rp 144.9K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-6.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

$2.28 COP 7,426

3.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

$1.11 COP 3,604

16.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

$1.53 COP 4,983

13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.35 COP 4,410

17.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

$1.13 COP 3,674

29.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.4K

$1.13 COP 3,692

138.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

$0.85 COP 2,753

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,584

$0.91 COP 2,975

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 Rp 45.3K

$2.34 COP 7,630

8.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.74 Rp 390.1K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

75.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 38.0K

$1.20 COP 3,909

76.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 Rp 63.5K

$2.49 COP 8,104

42.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,360

$0.84 COP 2,728

-64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.26 Rp 184.0K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-74.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$1.42 COP 4,623

-50.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

$1.92 COP 6,235

-60.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 Rp 46.5K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-66.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$0.99 COP 3,223

-18.18%

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

$24.4K Rp 438.0M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

35.43%

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

$25.8K Rp 461.9M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-3.29%

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

$44.02 Rp 789.7K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-45.53%

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

$4.47 Rp 80.3K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-55.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.86 Rp 410.1K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-5.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.68 Rp 388.9K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-13.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 Rp 118.5K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-65.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 Rp 56.2K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-21.36%

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

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

$305 COP 993.5K

-69.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,512 Rp 134.8M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

23.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.31 Rp 741.1K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-28.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.79 Rp 552.3K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-4.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.6 Rp 1.1M

$101 COP 327.9K

-41.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 Rp 1.2M

$108 COP 350.8K

-40.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 Rp 4.2M

$477 COP 1.6M

-50.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 Rp 2.7M

$376 COP 1.2M

-59.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 Rp 8.3M

$845 COP 2.7M

-45.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 Rp 4.4M

$730 COP 2.4M

-66.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$705 Rp 12.6M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-78.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$305 Rp 5.5M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-77.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 5.0M

$617 COP 2.0M

-55.12%

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 Bandung: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Bandung and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 123% 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: $9.00 in Bandung vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 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

Bandung vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 123% 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: $235 in Bandung versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $626 in Bandung versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bandung but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bandung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $626 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.