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: $647 in Bandung versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $949 in Bandung versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,251 in Bandung versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 36% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 52% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.28 Rp 22.9K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-78.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.42 Rp 168.9K

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-71.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-51.62%

Cappuccino

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$1.71 COP 6,105

-15.79%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,717

$1.10 COP 3,918

-55.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,452

$0.78 COP 2,776

-67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$1.68 COP 5,987

95.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$3.07 COP 10.9K

16.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$1.09 COP 3,899

8.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.26 COP 4,500

-15.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

$1.38 COP 4,914

-31.88%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$2.19 COP 7,813

-27.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 Rp 167.3K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

112.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 Rp 54.2K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-46.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 Rp 142.0K

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-10.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

$2.34 COP 8,334

1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

$1.06 COP 3,771

25.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 Rp 30.3K

$1.50 COP 5,365

12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

$1.38 COP 4,915

10.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

$1.15 COP 4,104

28.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 Rp 47.8K

$1.16 COP 4,148

130.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$0.89 COP 3,176

7.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,234

$0.84 COP 2,992

-45.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 Rp 46.0K

$2.28 COP 8,131

12.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.35 Rp 400.7K

$10.64 COP 37.9K

110.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

$1.20 COP 4,276

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

$2.47 COP 8,809

41.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,362

$0.86 COP 3,051

-65.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.57 Rp 189.5K

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-74.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.47 COP 5,255

-48.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

$1.96 COP 6,997

-63.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-66.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$0.95 COP 3,403

-14.74%

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

$24.4K Rp 437.0M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

34.44%

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

$26.4K Rp 473.3M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-0.31%

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

$43.12 Rp 773.0K

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-47.57%

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

$4.52 Rp 81.1K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-52.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 Rp 411.3K

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-5.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.48 Rp 385.1K

$25.89 COP 92.3K

-17.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.62 Rp 118.7K

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-65.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-19.59%

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

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

$309 COP 1.1M

-69.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,577 Rp 135.8M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

27.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.84 Rp 750.1K

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-28.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.57 Rp 547.9K

$32.35 COP 115.3K

-5.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 Rp 1.1M

$103 COP 365.7K

-42.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.7 Rp 1.1M

$108 COP 386.5K

-41.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 Rp 4.2M

$476 COP 1.7M

-50.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$379 COP 1.4M

-58.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 Rp 8.0M

$838 COP 3.0M

-46.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 Rp 4.4M

$724 COP 2.6M

-65.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$723 Rp 13.0M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-74.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$309 Rp 5.5M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-74.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 Rp 5.1M

$512 COP 1.8M

-44.58%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Bandung and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 80% 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 $215 vs $188, 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 57% 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, Medellin earns 80% 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: $234 in Bandung versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 14% 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 $647 in Bandung versus $1,013 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 $647 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 57% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.