Cost of Living Comparison Between Makassar and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Makassar and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $662 in Makassar versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,005 in Makassar versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,347 in Makassar versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Makassar costs roughly 35% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makassar 51% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-47.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.45 Rp 168.8K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-71.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-57.97%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.71 COP 6,115

1.75%

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

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

$1.10 COP 3,924

-35.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 Rp 6,976

$0.78 COP 2,781

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 Rp 65.5K

$1.68 COP 5,997

118.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 Rp 66.4K

$3.07 COP 11.0K

21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.09 COP 3,906

49.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 Rp 19.4K

$1.26 COP 4,508

-13.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$1.38 COP 4,922

-53.62%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$2.19 COP 7,827

-34.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.49 Rp 98.0K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

24.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.77 Rp 49.5K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-50.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 77.8K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-50.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.9K

$2.34 COP 8,349

-2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 29.3K

$1.06 COP 3,777

54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.0K

$1.50 COP 5,374

23.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.0K

$1.38 COP 4,924

13.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.5K

$1.15 COP 4,111

9.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.16 COP 4,155

34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 Rp 7,381

$0.89 COP 3,182

-53.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,440

$0.84 COP 2,997

-44.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 Rp 45.8K

$2.28 COP 8,145

12.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.53 Rp 402.4K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

111.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 Rp 37.4K

$1.20 COP 4,284

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

$2.47 COP 8,824

0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,720

$0.86 COP 3,056

-62.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 Rp 80.5K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-89.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$1.47 COP 5,264

-61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,115

$1.96 COP 7,009

-85.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 Rp 54.1K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-60.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.95 COP 3,409

-17.89%

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

$16.8K Rp 299.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-7.47%

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

$18.7K Rp 334.7M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-29.24%

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

$66.5 Rp 1.2M

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-19.17%

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

$3.50 Rp 62.5K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-63.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.44 Rp 579.2K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

33.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.28 Rp 415.8K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-10.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 Rp 107.6K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-68.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.16 Rp 56.4K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-19.59%

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

$106 Rp 1.9M

$309 COP 1.1M

-65.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,097 Rp 73.2M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-31.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.05 Rp 536.6K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-48.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.17 Rp 449.4K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-22.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 Rp 1.5M

$103 COP 366.4K

-20.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.93 Rp 784.5K

$108 COP 387.2K

-59.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$212 Rp 3.8M

$476 COP 1.7M

-55.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$379 COP 1.4M

-55.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 Rp 7.8M

$838 COP 3.0M

-47.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 Rp 5.9M

$724 COP 2.6M

-54.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,167 Rp 20.8M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-58.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$737 Rp 13.2M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-39.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$218 Rp 3.9M

$512 COP 1.8M

-57.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-55.32%

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

Last update for Makassar: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $212 in Makassar and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 135% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $9.00 in Makassar vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $188, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Makassar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makassar wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makassar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Medellin earns 135% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $212 in Makassar versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Makassar runs roughly 818% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $106 in Makassar versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $662 in Makassar versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makassar but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Makassar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makassar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $662 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makassar hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.