Cost of Living Comparison Between Karawang and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Karawang and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $505 per month in Karawang vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $770 per month in Karawang vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,035 per month in Karawang vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Karawang is about 50% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Karawang and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Karawang 62% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-77.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.36 Rp 167.2K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-71.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 Rp 61.9K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-51.20%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

$1.71 COP 6,115

-11.70%

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

$0.48 Rp 8,620

$1.10 COP 3,924

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 Rp 3,908

$0.78 COP 2,781

-71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 Rp 61.5K

$1.68 COP 5,997

104.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 Rp 62.4K

$3.07 COP 11.0K

13.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.09 COP 3,906

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 19.9K

$1.26 COP 4,508

-11.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.38 COP 4,922

-36.96%

Eggs

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

$2.19 COP 7,827

-29.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.16 Rp 56.4K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-28.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 Rp 55.1K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-45.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 Rp 143.8K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-9.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 36.0K

$2.34 COP 8,349

-13.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.06 COP 3,777

11.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

$1.50 COP 5,374

-6.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$1.38 COP 4,924

-59.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

$1.15 COP 4,111

-10.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.16 COP 4,155

47.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

$0.89 COP 3,182

6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,506

$0.84 COP 2,997

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

$2.28 COP 8,145

14.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.68 Rp 405.0K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

113.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 37.9K

$1.20 COP 4,284

76.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 Rp 62.3K

$2.47 COP 8,824

41.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.86 COP 3,056

-18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.98 Rp 178.2K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-75.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.47 COP 5,264

-48.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$1.96 COP 7,009

-60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-84.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.95 COP 3,409

-16.84%

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

$24.6K Rp 440.0M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

35.90%

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

$25.9K Rp 462.7M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-2.17%

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

$44.78 Rp 799.8K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-45.56%

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

$4.48 Rp 79.9K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-52.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.90 Rp 248.3K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-42.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.30 Rp 398.2K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-13.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.20 Rp 271.4K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-20.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.08 Rp 55.1K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-21.63%

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

$47.81 Rp 853.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

-84.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,547 Rp 134.8M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

26.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.26 Rp 326.1K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-68.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.31 Rp 559.1K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.2 Rp 968.3K

$103 COP 366.4K

-47.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 Rp 945.6K

$108 COP 387.2K

-51.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$476 COP 1.7M

-67.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$379 COP 1.4M

-79.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 Rp 4.5M

$838 COP 3.0M

-70.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$122 Rp 2.2M

$724 COP 2.6M

-83.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,161 Rp 20.7M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-58.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$685 Rp 12.2M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-43.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$408 Rp 7.3M

$512 COP 1.8M

-20.34%

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 Karawang: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $156 in Karawang versus $476 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 26% 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 $9.00 in Karawang versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $188 – making Karawang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Karawang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 101% more than Karawang, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $757 per month in Karawang and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Karawang and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $505 in Karawang and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $505, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Karawang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karawang costs $505 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Karawang. 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.