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: $759 in Bekasi versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,144 in Bekasi versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,528 in Bekasi versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Bekasi costs roughly 27% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bekasi 43% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.16 Rp 54.5K
$5.92 COP 21.5K
-46.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.18 Rp 210.2K
$32.75 COP 119.1K
-62.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.29 Rp 56.8K
$7.20 COP 26.2K
-54.31%
Cappuccino
$1.85 Rp 31.9K
$1.70 COP 6,186
8.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 Rp 8,483
$1.10 COP 3,996
-55.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 Rp 4,443
$0.72 COP 2,625
-63.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.46 Rp 59.7K
$1.67 COP 6,067
107.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27 Rp 73.7K
$3.10 COP 11.3K
37.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 Rp 22.0K
$1.06 COP 3,837
19.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.14 Rp 19.7K
$1.25 COP 4,531
-8.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.03 Rp 17.8K
$1.39 COP 5,060
-25.90%
Eggs
$1.74 Rp 30.0K
$2.26 COP 8,229
-23.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.15 Rp 157.9K
$4.33 COP 15.8K
111.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.08 Rp 53.1K
$5.84 COP 21.2K
-47.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.00 Rp 138.2K
$8.83 COP 32.1K
-9.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.81 Rp 48.4K
$2.24 COP 8,159
25.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 Rp 26.7K
$1.08 COP 3,911
42.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.29 Rp 39.5K
$1.53 COP 5,563
49.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 27.2K
$1.37 COP 4,987
14.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 Rp 26.7K
$1.13 COP 4,109
37.17%
Onion (1kg)
$2.69 Rp 46.4K
$1.12 COP 4,067
140.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 18.3K
$0.85 COP 3,080
24.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42 Rp 7,335
$0.91 COP 3,305
-53.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.57 Rp 44.5K
$2.33 COP 8,477
10.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.26 Rp 401.7K
$11.13 COP 40.5K
108.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 Rp 36.8K
$1.19 COP 4,342
78.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 Rp 56.0K
$2.37 COP 8,617
36.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 Rp 6,634
$0.79 COP 2,859
-51.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.12 Rp 209.2K
$41.13 COP 149.6K
-70.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.63 Rp 10.8K
$1.44 COP 5,223
-56.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 Rp 6,461
$1.91 COP 6,952
-80.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.57 Rp 44.3K
$8.02 COP 29.2K
-67.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 14.1K
$0.94 COP 3,410
-12.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K Rp 418.8M
$17.9K COP 65.2M
35.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K Rp 451.9M
$26.8K COP 97.4M
-2.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$64.2 Rp 1.1M
$84.0 COP 305.4K
-23.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.75 Rp 82.0K
$9.60 COP 34.9K
-50.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.06 Rp 449.9K
$24.16 COP 87.9K
7.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.46 Rp 301.6K
$25.88 COP 94.1K
-32.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.50 Rp 77.7K
$19.04 COP 69.3K
-76.37%
Cinema Ticket
$3.02 Rp 52.1K
$3.92 COP 14.2K
-22.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$97.6 Rp 1.7M
$306 COP 1.1M
-68.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,217 Rp 141.9M
$5,919 COP 21.5M
38.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9 Rp 999.8K
$57.9 COP 210.6K
-0.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.80 Rp 583.6K
$31.82 COP 115.7K
6.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.7 Rp 1.4M
$99.9 COP 363.3K
-18.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.2 Rp 1.6M
$107 COP 389.7K
-15.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$313 Rp 5.4M
$487 COP 1.8M
-35.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$183 Rp 3.2M
$368 COP 1.3M
-50.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$557 Rp 9.6M
$826 COP 3.0M
-32.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$380 Rp 6.6M
$716 COP 2.6M
-46.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$603 Rp 10.4M
$2,925 COP 10.6M
-79.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$940 Rp 16.2M
$1,407 COP 5.1M
-33.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bekasi
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$385 Rp 6.7M
$546 COP 2.0M
-29.39%
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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $313 in Bekasi and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 42% 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 $225 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
What is the total cost difference between living in Bekasi and Medellin?
Bekasi and Medellin differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($759 vs $1,034 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Medellin earns 42% less. 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 Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $313 in Bekasi versus $487 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 $12.00 versus $33.00 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 $759 per month in Bekasi versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $759 in Bekasi versus $1,034 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.
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 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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