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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $445 per month in Karawang vs $1,555 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $803 per month in Karawang vs $2,314 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,161 per month in Karawang vs $3,072 in Medellin, rent included.

Karawang is about 71% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Karawang sits 67% below the global median, while Medellin is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

$7.59 COP 24.7K

-81.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.15 Rp 199.5K

$44.78 COP 145.7K

-75.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.41 Rp 61.0K

$9.24 COP 30.1K

-63.10%

Cappuccino

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$2.95 COP 9,591

-51.19%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,234

$1.80 COP 5,861

-77.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 Rp 3,321

$1.35 COP 4,391

-85.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

$2.93 COP 9,544

6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

$5.46 COP 17.8K

-44.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Rp 20.1K

$1.43 COP 4,663

-20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

$2.39 COP 7,785

-56.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$1.60 COP 5,209

-45.63%

Eggs

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

$2.88 COP 9,364

-48.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$9.71 COP 31.6K

-71.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 Rp 50.8K

$9.44 COP 30.7K

-69.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 Rp 139.8K

$13.24 COP 43.1K

-41.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 Rp 31.4K

$3.75 COP 12.2K

-53.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$1.45 COP 4,703

-25.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$2.10 COP 6,829

-39.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 Rp 8,633

$2.13 COP 6,930

-77.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

$1.92 COP 6,259

-53.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$1.53 COP 4,984

-1.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 Rp 12.2K

$1.09 COP 3,549

-37.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,569

$1.18 COP 3,843

-64.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.79 COP 12.3K

-27.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.55 Rp 403.6K

$13.16 COP 42.8K

71.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

$1.64 COP 5,337

14.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$2.28 COP 7,410

44.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 Rp 10.6K

$1.18 COP 3,825

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 239.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.28 COP 4,157

-33.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 Rp 9,294

$1.98 COP 6,434

-73.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

$7.89 COP 25.7K

-85.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.29 COP 4,211

-37.98%

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

$21.0K Rp 374.9M

$26.8K COP 87.2M

-21.75%

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

$28.5K Rp 510.6M

$34.7K COP 112.9M

-17.74%

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

$33.85 Rp 605.7K

$158 COP 513.6K

-78.55%

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

$4.24 Rp 75.8K

$13.39 COP 43.6K

-68.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.59 Rp 225.2K

$27.28 COP 88.8K

-53.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.24 Rp 362.2K

$44.15 COP 143.7K

-54.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 Rp 150.8K

$15.99 COP 52.0K

-47.28%

Cinema Ticket

$2.82 Rp 50.4K

$6.39 COP 20.8K

-55.87%

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

$43.23 Rp 773.5K

$777 COP 2.5M

-94.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,186 Rp 146.5M

$8,800 COP 28.6M

-6.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.40 Rp 293.5K

$82.7 COP 269.2K

-80.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.34 Rp 489.2K

$56.1 COP 182.6K

-51.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.10 Rp 860.6K

$131 COP 425.7K

-63.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.99 Rp 876.6K

$95.9 COP 312.1K

-48.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 Rp 2.5M

$1,006 COP 3.3M

-86.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.2 Rp 1.2M

$627 COP 2.0M

-88.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 Rp 9.9M

$1,826 COP 5.9M

-69.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 Rp 6.6M

$969 COP 3.2M

-62.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,171 Rp 20.9M

$3,907 COP 12.7M

-70.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$606 Rp 10.9M

$1,576 COP 5.1M

-61.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 Rp 7.2M

$620 COP 2.0M

-35.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

10.94

4.02%

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

Last update for Karawang: September 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $137 in Karawang versus $1,006 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 55% 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 $11.00 in Karawang versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $285 – 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 249% more than Karawang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $668 per month in Karawang and $2,333 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $445 in Karawang and $1,555 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $43.23 per month in Karawang and $777 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $445, than in Medellin at $1,555. 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 $445 versus $1,555 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.