Cost of Living Comparison Between Binjai and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Binjai and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $674 in Binjai versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,018 in Binjai versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,363 in Binjai versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Binjai costs roughly 34% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Binjai 50% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-74.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.52 Rp 224.3K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-62.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.39 Rp 60.8K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-53.11%

Cappuccino

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

$1.63 COP 5,687

2.45%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,916

$1.09 COP 3,821

-49.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,036

$0.73 COP 2,548

-61.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 Rp 45.0K

$1.74 COP 6,065

44.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 Rp 62.9K

$3.23 COP 11.3K

8.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 22.1K

$1.05 COP 3,662

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

$1.29 COP 4,515

-12.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

$1.32 COP 4,617

-32.58%

Eggs

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$2.27 COP 7,927

-33.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 Rp 149.5K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

91.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 Rp 58.3K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-44.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 Rp 142.1K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-7.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

$2.25 COP 7,844

5.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

$1.07 COP 3,733

36.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.9K

$1.52 COP 5,322

24.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

$1.42 COP 4,964

6.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.17 COP 4,084

12.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

$1.17 COP 4,077

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.2K

$0.89 COP 3,096

2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,380

$0.90 COP 3,146

-54.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.2K

$2.25 COP 7,837

12.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.24 Rp 362.6K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 Rp 37.3K

$1.14 COP 3,977

82.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 Rp 54.8K

$2.38 COP 8,301

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,278

$0.84 COP 2,916

-65.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.98 Rp 178.8K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-76.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$1.41 COP 4,912

-60.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,252

$1.90 COP 6,634

-81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 Rp 53.1K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-61.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.01 COP 3,509

-17.82%

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

$24.4K Rp 437.2M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

38.80%

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

$27.8K Rp 497.3M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

4.76%

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

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-17.97%

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

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-54.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.56 Rp 404.3K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-6.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.96 Rp 411.4K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-9.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 Rp 109.9K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-67.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-23.66%

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

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

$312 COP 1.1M

-69.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,473 Rp 133.9M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

24.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.89 Rp 732.6K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-29.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.93 Rp 554.2K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-5.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 Rp 1.2M

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-32.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

$109 COP 378.8K

-32.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.6M

$482 COP 1.7M

-46.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 Rp 2.9M

$379 COP 1.3M

-57.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 Rp 10.3M

$837 COP 2.9M

-31.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 Rp 6.1M

$723 COP 2.5M

-53.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,189 Rp 21.3M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-58.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$611 Rp 10.9M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-50.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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 Binjai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Binjai and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Binjai vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 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

Binjai vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,011 in Binjai and $1,525 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $258 in Binjai versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $674 per month in Binjai versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 320% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $674 in Binjai versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Binjai but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Binjai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Binjai 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 Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.