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: $754 in Bekasi versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,139 in Bekasi versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,523 in Bekasi versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Bekasi costs roughly 25% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bekasi 43% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 Rp 55.7K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-47.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.28 Rp 221.6K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-62.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.42 Rp 61.7K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-53.97%

Cappuccino

$1.86 Rp 33.6K

$1.65 COP 5,207

12.73%

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

$0.53 Rp 9,646

$1.10 COP 3,468

-51.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,060

$0.78 COP 2,458

-64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 Rp 62.3K

$1.72 COP 5,412

100.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 Rp 78.6K

$3.18 COP 10.0K

36.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 Rp 22.6K

$1.10 COP 3,474

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.26 COP 3,962

-7.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.6K

$1.38 COP 4,349

-25.36%

Eggs

$1.75 Rp 31.6K

$2.18 COP 6,858

-19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 Rp 160.8K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

98.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 55.7K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-46.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 Rp 144.7K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-10.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 50.5K

$2.32 COP 7,308

20.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 29.2K

$1.06 COP 3,352

52.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 39.4K

$1.52 COP 4,774

43.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

$1.36 COP 4,270

16.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

$1.13 COP 3,552

33.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 Rp 46.9K

$1.17 COP 3,689

122.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

$0.90 COP 2,838

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,632

$0.90 COP 2,823

-53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 Rp 46.5K

$2.23 COP 7,034

15.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.91 Rp 395.6K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

80.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 Rp 36.7K

$1.19 COP 3,743

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 Rp 57.3K

$2.48 COP 7,815

28.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 Rp 6,430

$0.85 COP 2,687

-57.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.46 Rp 224.9K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-70.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

$1.42 COP 4,459

-56.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,813

$1.95 COP 6,141

-80.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-68.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.99 COP 3,118

-18.18%

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

$24.4K Rp 441.3M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

38.89%

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

$25.4K Rp 459.3M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-5.07%

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

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-20.91%

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

$4.93 Rp 88.9K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-49.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.41 Rp 458.6K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

8.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.28 Rp 312.0K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-31.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.48 Rp 80.9K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-76.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 Rp 56.5K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-20.76%

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

$97.8 Rp 1.8M

$316 COP 994.2K

-69.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,084 Rp 145.9M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

35.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 Rp 1.0M

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-3.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.25 Rp 600.3K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

4.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 Rp 1.5M

$102 COP 320.1K

-18.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 Rp 1.6M

$107 COP 338.3K

-17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 Rp 5.6M

$475 COP 1.5M

-34.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 Rp 3.3M

$374 COP 1.2M

-51.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 Rp 9.9M

$849 COP 2.7M

-35.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 Rp 6.7M

$719 COP 2.3M

-48.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$593 Rp 10.7M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-81.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$892 Rp 16.1M

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-38.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 Rp 6.4M

$624 COP 2.0M

-43.21%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $311 in Bekasi and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 76% 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 $221 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

Bekasi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bekasi and Medellin differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($754 vs $1,003 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 76% 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: $311 in Bekasi versus $475 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 $754 per month in Bekasi versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $754 in Bekasi versus $1,003 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 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.