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: $665 in Makassar versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,003 in Makassar versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,341 in Makassar versus $2,167 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 50% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 Rp 54.2K

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-50.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.36 Rp 167.5K

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-71.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-59.13%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$1.72 COP 5,592

4.65%

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

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

$1.05 COP 3,416

-38.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,117

$0.77 COP 2,511

-48.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 Rp 64.6K

$1.69 COP 5,480

113.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 Rp 64.9K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

14.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.05 COP 3,418

55.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$1.30 COP 4,230

-16.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

$1.40 COP 4,538

-54.29%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.6K

$2.16 COP 7,037

-33.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.37 Rp 96.1K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

22.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-51.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.26 Rp 76.2K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-50.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.0K

$2.28 COP 7,415

-2.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.4K

$1.11 COP 3,599

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.7K

$1.53 COP 4,976

19.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.0K

$1.35 COP 4,405

16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.4K

$1.13 COP 3,669

10.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$1.13 COP 3,687

38.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 7,975

$0.85 COP 2,749

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,444

$0.91 COP 2,971

-48.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$2.34 COP 7,619

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.33 Rp 399.5K

$12.37 COP 40.2K

80.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 Rp 36.1K

$1.20 COP 3,904

68.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 Rp 43.4K

$2.49 COP 8,094

-2.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,280

$0.84 COP 2,724

-64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.56 Rp 81.7K

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-88.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$1.42 COP 4,617

-60.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,112

$1.92 COP 6,227

-84.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-59.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.99 COP 3,219

-21.21%

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

$16.7K Rp 298.9M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

-7.34%

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

$18.4K Rp 330.0M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-30.73%

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

$66.8 Rp 1.2M

$80.8 COP 262.7K

-17.31%

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

$3.59 Rp 64.2K

$9.95 COP 32.3K

-63.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.49 Rp 581.2K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

34.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.23 Rp 415.6K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

-7.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 Rp 109.0K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-68.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-20.85%

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

$106 Rp 1.9M

$305 COP 992.2K

-65.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,103 Rp 73.4M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-32.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 Rp 521.3K

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-49.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.17 Rp 450.3K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-21.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

$101 COP 327.5K

-17.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.19 Rp 772.7K

$108 COP 350.3K

-59.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$477 COP 1.5M

-55.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$376 COP 1.2M

-55.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 Rp 7.6M

$845 COP 2.7M

-49.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 Rp 6.1M

$730 COP 2.4M

-53.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,355 Rp 24.2M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-57.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 Rp 9.8M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-60.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 Rp 3.7M

$617 COP 2.0M

-66.15%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Makassar and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 195% 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 for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $193 per month, with Makassar cheaper across the board.

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 55% 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, salaries run 195% lower in Medellin. 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: $214 in Makassar versus $477 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 790% 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 $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $665 in Makassar versus $1,031 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 $665 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 55% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.