Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Jakarta: $793 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Jakarta
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Jakarta Living Index
77

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Jakarta

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$793

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $793 per month in Jakarta vs $1,589 in Medellin, rent included.

Jakarta $793
Medellin $1,589

A couple spends around $1,283 per month in Jakarta vs $2,364 in Medellin, rent included.

Jakarta $1,283
Medellin $2,364

A family of three spends $1,772 per month in Jakarta vs $3,139 in Medellin, rent included.

Jakarta $1,772
Medellin $3,139

Jakarta is about 50% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Jakarta sits 41% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

$8.01 COP 25.5K

-67.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.93 Rp 302.6K

$46.55 COP 148.3K

-63.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 Rp 59.5K

$9.43 COP 30.1K

-64.69%

Cappuccino

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$2.91 COP 9,277

-31.27%

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

$0.43 Rp 7,768

$1.75 COP 5,585

-75.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,468

$1.32 COP 4,218

-81.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 Rp 45.9K

$3.13 COP 9,969

-17.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 68.8K

$5.55 COP 17.7K

-30.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

$1.41 COP 4,495

0.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 Rp 19.4K

$2.44 COP 7,777

-55.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 Rp 16.2K

$1.63 COP 5,191

-44.17%

Eggs

$1.77 Rp 31.7K

$2.82 COP 8,990

-37.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 Rp 164.8K

$9.69 COP 30.9K

-4.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 Rp 55.5K

$9.32 COP 29.7K

-66.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 Rp 139.0K

$13.46 COP 42.9K

-42.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 Rp 51.4K

$4.00 COP 12.8K

-28.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

$1.48 COP 4,719

-10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 Rp 44.6K

$2.12 COP 6,768

17.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

$2.25 COP 7,178

-38.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.91 COP 6,092

-27.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

$1.62 COP 5,160

29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$1.15 COP 3,658

-18.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,098

$1.26 COP 4,021

-59.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 Rp 50.0K

$3.82 COP 12.2K

-26.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.83 Rp 372.4K

$13.11 COP 41.8K

58.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 Rp 36.7K

$1.60 COP 5,083

28.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 54.3K

$2.26 COP 7,188

34.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,805

$1.17 COP 3,731

-76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.86 Rp 211.9K

$75.0 COP 239.0K

-84.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,975

$1.27 COP 4,056

-60.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,883

$2.05 COP 6,531

-83.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 Rp 61.1K

$8.20 COP 26.1K

-58.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.27 COP 4,046

-31.50%

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

$27.8K Rp 496.4M

$26.8K COP 85.3M

3.72%

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

$32.6K Rp 583.0M

$34.4K COP 109.6M

-5.21%

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

$106 Rp 1.9M

$162 COP 516.9K

-34.74%

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

$6.04 Rp 107.9K

$13.12 COP 41.8K

-53.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.04 Rp 340.4K

$28.09 COP 89.5K

-32.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.65 Rp 458.4K

$44.33 COP 141.2K

-42.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 Rp 244.1K

$16.33 COP 52.0K

-16.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$6.09 COP 19.4K

-45.98%

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

$153 Rp 2.7M

$764 COP 2.4M

-79.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,270 Rp 147.8M

$8,904 COP 28.4M

-7.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 Rp 1.0M

$85.0 COP 270.8K

-30.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.37 Rp 507.1K

$57.5 COP 183.2K

-50.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$132 COP 419.8K

-46.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 Rp 1.9M

$95.8 COP 305.1K

10.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 Rp 6.6M

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-64.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 Rp 3.6M

$604 COP 1.9M

-66.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 Rp 20.6M

$1,802 COP 5.7M

-35.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 Rp 9.9M

$993 COP 3.2M

-43.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,023 Rp 54.0M

$3,921 COP 12.5M

-22.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 Rp 25.8M

$1,639 COP 5.2M

-11.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$449 Rp 8.0M

$626 COP 2.0M

-28.22%

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 Jakarta: October 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jakarta

$218 27.5%

Medellin

$288 18.3% 32.5% $71

Accommodation & Living

Jakarta

$200 25.3%

Medellin

$604 38.3% 202% $404

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jakarta

$131 16.5%

Medellin

$203 12.9% 55.4% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Jakarta

$119 15%

Medellin

$166 10.6% 40.3% $48

Eating Out

Jakarta

$78 9.9%

Medellin

$166 10.6% 112% $88

Sport & Entertainment

Jakarta

$32 4.1%

Medellin

$57 3.6% 75.4% $24

Getting Around

Jakarta

$15 1.9%

Medellin

$91 5.8% 505% $76

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $370 in Jakarta versus $1,028 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Jakarta versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $288 – making Jakarta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Jakarta

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

07:37 7:37 AM

19:37 7:37 PM

12 h behind Jakarta

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,337,563 Capital

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 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 October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,048 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,574 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jakarta Medellin 19,750 km ≈ 25 h nonstop flight

From you

Jakarta
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

Jakarta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 100% more than Jakarta, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,190 per month in Jakarta and $2,384 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $153 per month in Jakarta and $764 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jakarta, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Jakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jakarta costs $793 versus $1,589 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Jakarta. 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.