Cost of Living Comparison Between Malang and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Malang and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $478 per month in Malang vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $751 per month in Malang vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,025 per month in Malang vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Malang is about 54% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malang and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Malang 64% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-79.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.47 Rp 220.8K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-62.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.06 Rp 54.1K

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-58.76%

Cappuccino

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

$1.65 COP 5,659

-15.15%

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

$0.58 Rp 10.2K

$1.07 COP 3,663

-45.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,261

$0.76 COP 2,607

-68.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 Rp 44.5K

$1.72 COP 5,908

45.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 53.8K

$3.20 COP 11.0K

-5.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

$1.05 COP 3,597

7.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

$1.31 COP 4,479

14.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.34 COP 4,591

-40.30%

Eggs

$1.45 Rp 25.7K

$2.19 COP 7,521

-33.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 Rp 112.1K

$4.41 COP 15.1K

43.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 Rp 57.4K

$5.69 COP 19.5K

-43.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.22 Rp 127.8K

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-15.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 Rp 42.6K

$2.34 COP 8,023

2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.5K

$1.11 COP 3,804

35.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

$1.52 COP 5,210

14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

$1.37 COP 4,680

7.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

$1.15 COP 3,950

14.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.1K

$1.18 COP 4,043

53.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 Rp 9,144

$0.84 COP 2,885

-38.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,411

$0.86 COP 2,931

-51.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 Rp 43.5K

$2.26 COP 7,753

8.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.90 Rp 228.5K

$11.60 COP 39.8K

11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

$1.20 COP 4,109

53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 Rp 57.5K

$2.48 COP 8,484

30.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 Rp 11.3K

$0.79 COP 2,721

-18.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.98 Rp 106.0K

$40.83 COP 139.9K

-85.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,434

$1.47 COP 5,023

-67.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,557

$1.92 COP 6,568

-83.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 Rp 105.7K

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-23.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

$1.01 COP 3,464

-17.82%

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

$20.8K Rp 367.7M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

17.54%

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

$27.4K Rp 484.6M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

3.41%

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

$33.92 Rp 600.9K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

-58.18%

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

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

$9.43 COP 32.3K

-72.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.33 Rp 342.4K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-18.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.04 Rp 266.5K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

-42.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.89 Rp 86.6K

$18.71 COP 64.1K

-73.86%

Cinema Ticket

$2.18 Rp 38.6K

$4.09 COP 14.0K

-46.70%

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

$34.44 Rp 610.1K

$315 COP 1.1M

-89.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,222 Rp 163.4M

$6,022 COP 20.6M

53.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.21 Rp 765.5K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-27.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.37 Rp 538.0K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

-5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 Rp 1.1M

$101 COP 346.9K

-41.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 Rp 1.5M

$105 COP 360.3K

-21.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$485 COP 1.7M

-66.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$48.19 Rp 853.8K

$365 COP 1.3M

-86.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 Rp 5.0M

$827 COP 2.8M

-66.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.7 Rp 1.6M

$730 COP 2.5M

-87.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$203 Rp 3.6M

$551 COP 1.9M

-63.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-70.22%

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

Last update for Malang: June 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $163 in Malang versus $485 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 171% 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 $12.00 in Malang versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $190 – making Malang 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

Malang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 115%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $716 per month in Malang and $1,542 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 583% less in Malang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $34.44 per month in Malang and $315 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Malang, where all-in costs run around $478, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Malang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Malang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Malang. 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.