Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $840 per month in Jakarta vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,379 per month in Jakarta vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,919 per month in Jakarta vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Jakarta is about 19% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Jakarta and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 37% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 Rp 56.0K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-49.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.11 Rp 325.4K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-44.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 Rp 62.3K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-52.86%

Cappuccino

$2.10 Rp 37.8K

$1.72 COP 5,599

22.09%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,908

$1.05 COP 3,420

-47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,086

$0.77 COP 2,515

-63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

$1.69 COP 5,487

66.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 Rp 75.7K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

32.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.05 COP 3,423

27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.30 COP 4,236

-10.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

$1.40 COP 4,544

-32.14%

Eggs

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$2.16 COP 7,046

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 Rp 116.7K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

47.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-45.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 Rp 135.7K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-12.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

$2.28 COP 7,425

28.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

$1.11 COP 3,603

45.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.8K

$1.53 COP 4,982

48.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$1.35 COP 4,410

15.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.13 COP 3,674

58.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

$1.13 COP 3,692

130.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$0.85 COP 2,753

24.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,284

$0.91 COP 2,975

-49.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.34 COP 7,629

27.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.56 Rp 369.5K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

66.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$1.20 COP 3,909

84.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 Rp 58.3K

$2.49 COP 8,104

30.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,760

$0.84 COP 2,727

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 Rp 219.4K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-69.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,622

$1.42 COP 4,623

-61.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,681

$1.92 COP 6,235

-80.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-59.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.99 COP 3,223

-19.19%

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

$30.2K Rp 542.7M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

67.49%

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

$32.7K Rp 588.0M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

22.88%

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

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

$80.8 COP 263.1K

10.65%

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

$6.51 Rp 116.9K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-34.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 Rp 488.9K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

12.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 Rp 538.6K

$25.08 COP 81.6K

19.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.61 Rp 226.7K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-34.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-22.11%

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

$166 Rp 3.0M

$305 COP 993.4K

-45.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,566 Rp 171.9M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

57.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-1.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.85 Rp 608.2K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

5.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$101 COP 327.9K

-18.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

$108 COP 350.8K

-16.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 Rp 6.8M

$477 COP 1.6M

-20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 Rp 4.2M

$376 COP 1.2M

-37.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 Rp 20.7M

$845 COP 2.7M

36.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.9M

$730 COP 2.4M

-9.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 Rp 53.2M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-8.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,431 Rp 25.7M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

4.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 Rp 7.6M

$617 COP 2.0M

-31.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

13.43

-28.59%

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

Last update for Jakarta: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Jakarta versus $477 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 46% 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 $18.00 in Jakarta versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Jakarta vs $193 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

Jakarta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 23% more than Jakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,260 per month in Jakarta and $1,546 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 $166 per month in Jakarta and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jakarta, where all-in costs run around $840, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $840 versus $1,031 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.