Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Binjai and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Binjai: $638 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Binjai
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Binjai Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Binjai

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$638

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Binjai 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 Binjai and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $638 in Binjai versus $1,639 in Medellin.

Binjai $638
Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,029 in Binjai versus $2,413 in Medellin.

Binjai $1,029
Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,421 in Binjai versus $3,186 in Medellin.

Binjai $1,421
Medellin $3,186

Living in Binjai costs roughly 61% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Binjai is 53% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.80 Rp 32.6K

$8.09 COP 26.1K

-77.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.06 Rp 272.9K

$47.05 COP 151.7K

-67.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.81 Rp 51.0K

$9.50 COP 30.6K

-70.42%

Cappuccino

$1.33 Rp 24.1K

$3.01 COP 9,722

-55.81%

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

$0.48 Rp 8,699

$1.80 COP 5,801

-73.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 Rp 3,635

$1.41 COP 4,554

-85.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 Rp 45.1K

$3.18 COP 10.2K

-21.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 Rp 56.5K

$5.75 COP 18.5K

-45.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 Rp 18.8K

$1.51 COP 4,869

-31.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

$2.38 COP 7,667

-60.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.5K

$1.77 COP 5,712

-54.80%

Eggs

$1.25 Rp 22.6K

$2.89 COP 9,320

-56.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.22 Rp 112.8K

$10.19 COP 32.9K

-38.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 Rp 57.1K

$9.87 COP 31.8K

-68.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 Rp 135.6K

$13.99 COP 45.1K

-46.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 Rp 44.1K

$3.97 COP 12.8K

-38.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.6K

$1.55 COP 5,005

-16.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 Rp 32.1K

$2.18 COP 7,039

-18.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.6K

$2.18 COP 7,041

-42.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 Rp 25.4K

$1.96 COP 6,328

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 35.5K

$1.59 COP 5,125

23.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.15 COP 3,694

-29.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 Rp 6,978

$1.24 COP 4,009

-68.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 Rp 44.1K

$3.96 COP 12.8K

-38.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.59 Rp 391.2K

$13.68 COP 44.1K

57.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 Rp 36.4K

$1.66 COP 5,352

21.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 Rp 57.9K

$2.26 COP 7,281

41.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,845

$1.17 COP 3,766

-82.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.00 Rp 181.2K

$77.4 COP 249.5K

-87.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,501

$1.27 COP 4,089

-62.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 Rp 6,505

$2.05 COP 6,603

-82.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 Rp 57.6K

$8.55 COP 27.6K

-62.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

$1.35 COP 4,343

-30.37%

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

$20.3K Rp 368.7M

$34.1K COP 109.8M

-40.28%

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

$30.1K Rp 545.5M

$34.7K COP 111.8M

-13.17%

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

$68.7 Rp 1.2M

$170 COP 547.0K

-59.52%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.8K

$13.55 COP 43.7K

-71.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.11 Rp 328.1K

$28.07 COP 90.5K

-35.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.19 Rp 365.9K

$43.70 COP 140.9K

-53.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.73 Rp 158.2K

$17.19 COP 55.4K

-49.21%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 Rp 52.2K

$6.91 COP 22.3K

-58.32%

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

$105 Rp 1.9M

$797 COP 2.6M

-86.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,060 Rp 146.0M

$9,112 COP 29.4M

-11.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.93 Rp 777.9K

$84.7 COP 273.2K

-49.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.03 Rp 489.8K

$58.0 COP 186.9K

-53.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 Rp 1.5M

$135 COP 435.2K

-37.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 Rp 1.1M

$97.9 COP 315.6K

-35.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 Rp 3.7M

$1,208 COP 3.9M

-83.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$642 COP 2.1M

-75.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 Rp 9.0M

$2,028 COP 6.5M

-75.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 Rp 7.4M

$1,012 COP 3.3M

-59.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,207 Rp 21.9M

$4,170 COP 13.4M

-71.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$752 Rp 13.6M

$1,910 COP 6.2M

-60.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

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 Binjai: October 24, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Binjai

$194 30.4%

Medellin

$297 18.1% 53.3% $103

Accommodation & Living

Binjai

$156 24.5%

Medellin

$642 39.1% 311% $485

Clothing & Footwear

Binjai

$98 15.3%

Medellin

$169 10.3% 73.2% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Binjai

$91 14.2%

Medellin

$211 12.9% 133% $121

Eating Out

Binjai

$60 9.4%

Medellin

$170 10.4% 182% $109

Sport & Entertainment

Binjai

$26 4.1%

Medellin

$58 3.5% 122% $32

Getting Around

Binjai

$13 2.1%

Medellin

$94 5.7% 614% $80

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $204 in Binjai and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15 in Binjai vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $297 per month, with Binjai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Binjai

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

02:10 2:10 AM

14:10 2:10 PM

12 h behind Binjai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

267,901

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.52 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18,120 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.52 USD). 1 EUR = 20,232 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Binjai Medellin 18,740 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight

From you

Binjai
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

Binjai vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai is about 61% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $956 in Binjai and $2,459 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: $204 in Binjai versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $638 per month in Binjai versus $1,639 in Medellin – Binjai is about 61% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 87% less than in Medellin. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $638 in Binjai versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,000 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.

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 Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.