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: $645 in Bandung versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $942 in Bandung versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,239 in Bandung versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 62% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bandung is 53% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-82.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.00 Rp 247.9K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-70.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-66.13%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$3.13 COP 9,767

-50.48%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,040

$1.91 COP 5,954

-76.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,043

$1.51 COP 4,712

-84.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

$3.12 COP 9,747

2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-45.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$1.44 COP 4,509

-23.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

$2.49 COP 7,759

-58.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

$1.77 COP 5,535

-50.28%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$2.96 COP 9,235

-51.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 Rp 129.6K

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-27.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-71.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 145.9K

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-42.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-44.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

$1.61 COP 5,019

-30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

$2.25 COP 7,007

-33.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$2.25 COP 7,028

-57.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$2.04 COP 6,375

-45.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.54 COP 4,790

23.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 Rp 11.6K

$1.17 COP 3,651

-43.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,252

$1.31 COP 4,077

-68.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-28.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 403.8K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

62.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 Rp 34.1K

$1.74 COP 5,439

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$2.87 COP 8,956

16.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,725

$1.22 COP 3,792

-77.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.57 Rp 169.5K

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-88.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$1.31 COP 4,084

-38.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 Rp 9,759

$2.19 COP 6,825

-74.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-73.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.37 COP 4,260

-43.07%

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

$21.2K Rp 375.9M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-23.73%

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

$29.5K Rp 522.2M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-17.56%

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

$33.79 Rp 598.3K

$177 COP 553.2K

-80.94%

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

$4.39 Rp 77.7K

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-68.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 Rp 347.0K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-34.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.96 Rp 335.7K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-57.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 Rp 104.9K

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-65.42%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-56.69%

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

$93.8 Rp 1.7M

$813 COP 2.5M

-88.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,255 Rp 146.2M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-10.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.76 Rp 704.0K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-55.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.16 Rp 587.1K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-43.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$138 COP 431.2K

-43.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

$102 COP 318.7K

-30.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-79.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 Rp 3.2M

$663 COP 2.1M

-72.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 Rp 6.9M

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-79.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-73.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$738 Rp 13.1M

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-82.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$311 Rp 5.5M

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-81.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.1M

$678 COP 2.1M

-57.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

10.94

4.02%

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

Last update for Bandung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Bandung and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 137% 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: $14.00 in Bandung vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $305 per month, with Bandung 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

Bandung vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 161% 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 137% 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: $222 in Bandung versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $645 in Bandung versus $1,681 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 $645 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 161% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.