Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bekasi and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Bekasi: $659 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bekasi, Indonesia
Medellin, Colombia
Bekasi
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$659
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bekasi and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bekasi and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $659 in Bekasi versus $1,639 in Medellin.

  • Bekasi $659
  • Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,065 in Bekasi versus $2,413 in Medellin.

  • Bekasi $1,065
  • Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,472 in Bekasi versus $3,186 in Medellin.

  • Bekasi $1,472
  • Medellin $3,186

Living in Bekasi costs roughly 60% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bekasi is 52% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.81 Rp 51.0K
$8.09 COP 26.1K
-65.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.68 Rp 248.1K
$47.05 COP 151.9K
-70.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.35 Rp 60.7K
$9.50 COP 30.7K
-64.74%
Cappuccino
$1.53 Rp 27.8K
$3.01 COP 9,735
-49.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42 Rp 7,579
$1.80 COP 5,809
-76.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 Rp 3,980
$1.41 COP 4,561
-84.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.50 Rp 45.3K
$3.18 COP 10.3K
-21.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 Rp 68.7K
$5.75 COP 18.6K
-34.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 Rp 19.9K
$1.51 COP 4,876
-27.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.07 Rp 19.4K
$2.38 COP 7,678
-55.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
$1.77 COP 5,720
-50.28%
Eggs
$1.63 Rp 29.6K
$2.89 COP 9,333
-43.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.28 Rp 168.4K
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-8.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.86 Rp 51.9K
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-71.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.84 Rp 142.2K
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-43.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.80 Rp 50.8K
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-29.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 Rp 24.8K
$1.55 COP 5,012
-11.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.53 Rp 45.8K
$2.18 COP 7,048
16.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.33 Rp 24.2K
$2.18 COP 7,051
-38.99%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 Rp 24.2K
$1.96 COP 6,337
-31.63%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 Rp 39.0K
$1.59 COP 5,132
35.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 Rp 16.2K
$1.15 COP 3,699
-22.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 Rp 7,994
$1.24 COP 4,014
-64.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.72 Rp 49.3K
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-31.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.79 Rp 395.2K
$13.68 COP 44.2K
59.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 Rp 34.4K
$1.66 COP 5,359
14.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 Rp 56.7K
$2.26 COP 7,291
38.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 Rp 6,190
$1.17 COP 3,771
-70.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.87 Rp 197.1K
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-85.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.84 Rp 15.2K
$1.27 COP 4,094
-33.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,773
$2.05 COP 6,612
-79.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.20 Rp 39.9K
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-74.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 Rp 14.5K
$1.35 COP 4,349
-40.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K Rp 387.9M
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-37.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K Rp 593.6M
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-5.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.4 Rp 1.1M
$170 COP 547.8K
-62.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.91 Rp 107.2K
$13.55 COP 43.8K
-56.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.51 Rp 335.8K
$28.07 COP 90.6K
-34.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.63 Rp 283.5K
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-64.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.07 Rp 110.1K
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-64.69%
Cinema Ticket
$3.05 Rp 55.3K
$6.91 COP 22.3K
-55.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$128 Rp 2.3M
$797 COP 2.6M
-83.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,220 Rp 149.1M
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-9.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.6 Rp 1.0M
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-33.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.43 Rp 570.1K
$58.0 COP 187.2K
-45.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 Rp 1.4M
$135 COP 435.8K
-42.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.3 Rp 1.7M
$97.9 COP 316.0K
-3.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$201 Rp 3.7M
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-83.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$131 Rp 2.4M
$642 COP 2.1M
-79.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$460 Rp 8.3M
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-77.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$359 Rp 6.5M
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-64.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$590 Rp 10.7M
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-85.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$888 Rp 16.1M
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-53.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$359 Rp 6.5M
$657 COP 2.1M
-45.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.46
10.94
-13.53%

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

Last update for Bekasi: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Bekasi
$213
Medellin
$297 39.6% $84
Accommodation & Living
Bekasi
$131
Medellin
$642 390% $511
Clothing & Footwear
Bekasi
$117
Medellin
$169 44.8% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bekasi
$88
Medellin
$211 141% $123
Eating Out
Bekasi
$74
Medellin
$170 131% $96
Sport & Entertainment
Bekasi
$22
Medellin
$58 165% $36
Getting Around
Bekasi
$15
Medellin
$94 515% $78

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Bekasi and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 83% 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 in Bekasi vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $297 per month, with Bekasi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Bekasi
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
20:11 8:11 PM
08:11 8:11 AM
12 h behind Bekasi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,334,871
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,138 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,241 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bekasi Medellin 19,730 km ≈ 25 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bekasi
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Bekasi and in Medellin?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $659 in Bekasi and $1,639 in Medellin, so Bekasi is about 60% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Bekasi. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Bekasi and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $201 in Bekasi versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Bekasi – a meal for two runs $14 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Bekasi or Medellin?
All in, you’ll spend $659 per month in Bekasi versus $1,639 in Medellin – Bekasi is about 60% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $659 in Bekasi versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,200 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.
How does quality of life compare between Bekasi and Medellin?
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.
Where should expats move: Bekasi or Medellin?
Expats usually find Bekasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Bekasi vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?