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: $653 in Binjai versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,019 in Binjai versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,385 in Binjai versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Binjai costs roughly 35% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Binjai 51% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-73.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.51 Rp 225.9K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-62.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.47 Rp 62.6K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-53.30%

Cappuccino

$1.65 Rp 29.8K

$1.65 COP 5,207

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

$0.55 Rp 10.0K

$1.10 COP 3,468

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,074

$0.78 COP 2,458

-64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 Rp 45.5K

$1.72 COP 5,412

46.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 Rp 62.4K

$3.18 COP 10.0K

8.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

$1.10 COP 3,474

6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 20.3K

$1.26 COP 3,962

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

$1.38 COP 4,349

-36.96%

Eggs

$1.60 Rp 29.0K

$2.18 COP 6,858

-26.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 147.3K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

81.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 Rp 58.7K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-43.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 Rp 145.7K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-10.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

$2.32 COP 7,308

4.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$1.06 COP 3,352

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.7K

$1.52 COP 4,774

23.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

$1.36 COP 4,270

9.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.13 COP 3,552

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

$1.17 COP 3,689

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

$0.90 COP 2,838

-1.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,081

$0.90 COP 2,823

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 Rp 44.6K

$2.23 COP 7,034

10.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.96 Rp 396.5K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

81.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 Rp 36.5K

$1.19 COP 3,743

69.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 Rp 55.6K

$2.48 COP 7,815

24.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,319

$0.85 COP 2,687

-65.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.06 Rp 181.6K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-75.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

$1.42 COP 4,459

-59.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,202

$1.95 COP 6,141

-82.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-63.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$0.99 COP 3,118

-17.17%

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

$25.0K Rp 451.5M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

42.10%

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

$27.6K Rp 498.8M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

3.11%

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

$69.5 Rp 1.3M

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-16.25%

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

$4.37 Rp 78.9K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-54.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.87 Rp 412.8K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-2.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.23 Rp 419.3K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-8.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 Rp 108.1K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-68.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.08 Rp 55.6K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-22.03%

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

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

$316 COP 994.2K

-69.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,692 Rp 138.9M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

28.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.13 Rp 742.5K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-31.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.39 Rp 548.7K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-4.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 Rp 1.2M

$102 COP 320.1K

-35.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

$107 COP 338.3K

-31.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 Rp 4.6M

$475 COP 1.5M

-46.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.9M

$374 COP 1.2M

-57.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 Rp 10.5M

$849 COP 2.7M

-31.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 Rp 6.0M

$719 COP 2.3M

-54.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-68.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 Rp 12.9M

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-50.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $253 in Binjai and $475 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 $211 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

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 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $979 in Binjai and $1,504 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: $253 in Binjai versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $653 per month in Binjai versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 314% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $653 in Binjai versus $1,003 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 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.