Cost of Living Comparison Between Bekasi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bekasi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $744 in Bekasi versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,141 in Bekasi versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,539 in Bekasi versus $2,144 in Medellin.

Living in Bekasi costs roughly 28% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bekasi 44% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 Rp 53.9K

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-49.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.21 Rp 216.3K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-62.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.42 Rp 60.5K

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-53.91%

Cappuccino

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

$1.65 COP 5,659

16.36%

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

$0.52 Rp 9,237

$1.07 COP 3,663

-51.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,592

$0.76 COP 2,607

-65.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 Rp 61.0K

$1.72 COP 5,908

100.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 Rp 78.1K

$3.20 COP 11.0K

37.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.05 COP 3,597

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 Rp 20.5K

$1.31 COP 4,479

-12.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

$1.34 COP 4,591

-29.10%

Eggs

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$2.19 COP 7,521

-21.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 Rp 163.7K

$4.41 COP 15.1K

109.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 Rp 56.4K

$5.69 COP 19.5K

-44.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 Rp 137.5K

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-8.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 Rp 51.6K

$2.34 COP 8,023

24.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.11 COP 3,804

40.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$1.52 COP 5,210

48.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

$1.37 COP 4,680

15.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.2K

$1.15 COP 3,950

28.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 46.2K

$1.18 COP 4,043

121.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.1K

$0.84 COP 2,885

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,429

$0.86 COP 2,931

-51.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

$2.26 COP 7,753

14.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.92 Rp 406.0K

$11.60 COP 39.8K

97.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 Rp 37.2K

$1.20 COP 4,109

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 Rp 57.0K

$2.48 COP 8,484

29.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 Rp 6,347

$0.79 COP 2,721

-54.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.08 Rp 213.9K

$40.83 COP 139.9K

-70.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 Rp 10.5K

$1.47 COP 5,023

-59.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,622

$1.92 COP 6,568

-80.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 Rp 45.0K

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-67.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$1.01 COP 3,464

-19.80%

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

$24.7K Rp 438.1M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

40.06%

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

$25.7K Rp 455.0M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-2.92%

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

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

$81.1 COP 277.9K

-18.98%

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

$4.91 Rp 86.9K

$9.43 COP 32.3K

-47.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.82 Rp 457.4K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

8.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.21 Rp 304.8K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

-33.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 Rp 80.1K

$18.71 COP 64.1K

-75.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$4.09 COP 14.0K

-22.98%

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

$98.3 Rp 1.7M

$315 COP 1.1M

-68.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,038 Rp 142.4M

$6,022 COP 20.6M

33.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 Rp 993.5K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-6.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.28 Rp 589.6K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

4.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 Rp 1.5M

$101 COP 346.9K

-17.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 Rp 1.6M

$105 COP 360.3K

-15.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 Rp 5.4M

$485 COP 1.7M

-37.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.3M

$365 COP 1.3M

-49.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 Rp 10.0M

$827 COP 2.8M

-31.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 Rp 6.7M

$730 COP 2.5M

-48.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$595 Rp 10.5M

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-80.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$923 Rp 16.4M

$1,314 COP 4.5M

-29.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$369 Rp 6.5M

$551 COP 1.9M

-33.09%

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 Bekasi: June 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Bekasi and $485 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 49% 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: $12.00 in Bekasi vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $224 vs $190, 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

Bekasi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bekasi and Medellin differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($744 vs $1,028 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 49% 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: $302 in Bekasi versus $485 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bekasi – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $744 per month in Bekasi versus $1,028 in Medellin – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $744 in Bekasi versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bekasi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bekasi 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.

Expats usually find Bekasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.