Cost of Living Comparison Between Batam and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Batam and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $616 in Batam versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,017 in Batam versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,418 in Batam versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Batam costs roughly 63% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Batam is 55% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 Rp 35.5K

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-74.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.68 Rp 153.7K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-81.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 Rp 72.0K

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-58.85%

Cappuccino

$2.14 Rp 38.0K

$3.13 COP 9,767

-31.63%

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

$0.62 Rp 11.1K

$1.91 COP 5,954

-67.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 Rp 5,506

$1.51 COP 4,712

-79.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 Rp 46.0K

$3.12 COP 9,747

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 Rp 65.9K

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-35.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

$1.44 COP 4,509

-19.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 Rp 19.3K

$2.49 COP 7,759

-56.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.77 COP 5,535

-55.93%

Eggs

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

$2.96 COP 9,235

-56.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.71 Rp 136.5K

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-23.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.54 Rp 45.0K

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-74.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.61 Rp 81.6K

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-67.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 38.7K

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-47.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

$1.61 COP 5,019

29.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.6K

$2.25 COP 7,007

-8.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 Rp 18.8K

$2.25 COP 7,028

-52.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

$2.04 COP 6,375

-52.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.3K

$1.54 COP 4,790

29.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

$1.17 COP 3,651

13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,033

$1.31 COP 4,077

-65.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 Rp 48.8K

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-29.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 Rp 245.9K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$1.74 COP 5,439

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 Rp 44.1K

$2.87 COP 8,956

-13.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 Rp 7,309

$1.22 COP 3,792

-66.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

$1.31 COP 4,084

-12.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Rp 10.6K

$2.19 COP 6,825

-72.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 Rp 63.3K

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-58.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

$1.37 COP 4,260

-42.34%

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

$28.5K Rp 504.0M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

2.26%

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

$24.7K Rp 438.2M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-30.83%

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

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

$177 COP 553.2K

-59.41%

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

$4.16 Rp 73.6K

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-70.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.70 Rp 419.6K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-20.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.92 Rp 476.7K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-40.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.63 Rp 99.7K

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-67.11%

Cinema Ticket

$2.66 Rp 47.0K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-60.00%

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

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

$813 COP 2.5M

-89.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,257 Rp 57.7M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-64.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.47 Rp 574.9K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-63.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.15 Rp 339.0K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-67.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 Rp 1.2M

$138 COP 431.2K

-51.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.03 Rp 443.1K

$102 COP 318.7K

-75.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 Rp 4.8M

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-74.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 Rp 2.6M

$663 COP 2.1M

-77.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$823 Rp 14.6M

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-56.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 Rp 9.1M

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-50.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$556 Rp 9.8M

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-86.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 Rp 6.3M

$678 COP 2.1M

-47.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.17

10.94

20.38%

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

Last update for Batam: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $274 in Batam and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 91% 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 Batam vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $305 per month, with Batam 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

Batam vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Batam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 173% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 91% 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: $274 in Batam versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $616 per month in Batam versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 173% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $616 in Batam versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Batam but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Batam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Batam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Batam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 173% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.