Cost of Living Comparison Between Gili Air and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Gili Air and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $858 per month in Gili Air vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,479 per month in Gili Air vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,100 per month in Gili Air vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Gili Air is about 17% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gili Air and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Gili Air 36% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 Rp 32.6K

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-68.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.71 Rp 307.0K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-45.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.72 Rp 47.1K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-62.22%

Cappuccino

$1.48 Rp 25.7K

$1.70 COP 6,140

-12.94%

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

$0.70 Rp 12.0K

$1.10 COP 3,966

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 6,972

$0.72 COP 2,605

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 Rp 28.4K

$1.67 COP 6,022

-1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 Rp 37.6K

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-30.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 Rp 21.5K

$1.06 COP 3,809

16.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 Rp 31.2K

$1.25 COP 4,497

44.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.1K

$1.39 COP 5,022

-37.41%

Eggs

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$2.26 COP 8,168

-23.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 Rp 178.5K

$4.33 COP 15.6K

137.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 Rp 51.9K

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-48.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.34 Rp 144.6K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-5.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 Rp 47.4K

$2.24 COP 8,099

21.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.1K

$1.08 COP 3,882

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 34.7K

$1.53 COP 5,522

30.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.0K

$1.37 COP 4,950

21.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 24.5K

$1.13 COP 4,078

25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 Rp 28.7K

$1.12 COP 4,036

48.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 Rp 13.4K

$0.85 COP 3,057

-9.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,582

$0.91 COP 3,281

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 Rp 40.2K

$2.33 COP 8,414

-0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.94 Rp 293.7K

$11.13 COP 40.2K

52.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 Rp 35.2K

$1.19 COP 4,309

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 Rp 34.1K

$2.37 COP 8,553

-16.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,634

$0.79 COP 2,838

-73.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.56 Rp 113.6K

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-84.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 Rp 6,790

$1.44 COP 5,184

-72.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,343

$1.91 COP 6,901

-80.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 Rp 86.2K

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-38.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 Rp 11.3K

$0.94 COP 3,385

-30.85%

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

$20.8K Rp 360.0M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

15.90%

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

$25.9K Rp 448.2M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-3.47%

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

$62.8 Rp 1.1M

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-25.20%

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

$3.26 Rp 56.5K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-66.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.40 Rp 336.3K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-19.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 Rp 966.5K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

115.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.71 Rp 64.3K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-80.51%

Cinema Ticket

$2.35 Rp 40.7K

$3.92 COP 14.1K

-40.05%

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

$207 Rp 3.6M

$306 COP 1.1M

-32.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,421 Rp 76.6M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-25.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.47 Rp 770.8K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-23.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.95 Rp 536.4K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-2.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 Rp 1.2M

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-28.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.8 Rp 1.1M

$107 COP 386.8K

-40.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 Rp 8.2M

$487 COP 1.8M

-3.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 Rp 5.5M

$368 COP 1.3M

-14.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 Rp 28.4M

$826 COP 3.0M

98.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 Rp 17.0M

$716 COP 2.6M

36.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,460 Rp 25.3M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-50.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,101 Rp 19.1M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-21.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

13.43

-1.12%

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

Last update for Gili Air: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $472 in Gili Air versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Gili Air versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Gili Air vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Gili Air vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,286 per month in Gili Air and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gili Air, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $858 in Gili Air and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 527% less in Gili Air. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gili Air, where all-in costs run around $858, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Gili Air it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gili Air – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gili Air. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.