Cost of Living Comparison Between Manado and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Manado and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $580 per month in Manado vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $887 per month in Manado vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,194 per month in Manado vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Manado is about 42% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manado and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Manado 56% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-79.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.03 Rp 163.3K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-72.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.08 Rp 55.8K

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-58.55%

Cappuccino

$1.68 Rp 30.4K

$1.65 COP 5,276

1.82%

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

$0.32 Rp 5,829

$1.10 COP 3,514

-70.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,707

$0.78 COP 2,491

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 Rp 64.9K

$1.72 COP 5,484

108.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 Rp 108.4K

$3.18 COP 10.1K

88.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

$1.10 COP 3,521

7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 Rp 16.2K

$1.26 COP 4,015

-29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 Rp 14.2K

$1.38 COP 4,407

-43.48%

Eggs

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

$2.18 COP 6,950

-17.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 147.5K

$4.49 COP 14.3K

81.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 Rp 56.9K

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-45.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 Rp 142.8K

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-11.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.6K

$2.32 COP 7,405

18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

$1.06 COP 3,397

37.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

$1.52 COP 4,838

24.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$1.36 COP 4,327

-1.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

$1.13 COP 3,599

23.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

$1.17 COP 3,738

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

$0.90 COP 2,876

7.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 8,000

$0.90 COP 2,861

-51.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

$2.23 COP 7,128

6.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.43 Rp 369.3K

$12.12 COP 38.7K

68.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 32.0K

$1.19 COP 3,793

48.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 Rp 57.5K

$2.48 COP 7,920

28.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 Rp 6,412

$0.85 COP 2,723

-58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.73 Rp 175.9K

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-76.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,514

$1.42 COP 4,518

-62.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,717

$1.95 COP 6,223

-81.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 Rp 52.5K

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-63.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

$0.99 COP 3,160

-16.16%

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

$24.5K Rp 443.1M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

39.20%

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

$28.0K Rp 506.1M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

4.45%

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

$24.74 Rp 447.4K

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-70.20%

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

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

-54.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.31 Rp 403.4K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-5.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.33 Rp 331.5K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-27.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.11 Rp 110.4K

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-68.01%

Cinema Ticket

$2.62 Rp 47.4K

$3.95 COP 12.6K

-33.67%

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

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

$316 COP 1.0M

-69.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 Rp 94.6M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-12.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 Rp 1.1M

$60.0 COP 191.4K

1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.26 Rp 438.7K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-23.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$102 COP 324.4K

-6.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

$107 COP 342.8K

-31.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 Rp 5.9M

$475 COP 1.5M

-31.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

$374 COP 1.2M

-73.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 Rp 6.0M

$849 COP 2.7M

-60.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$719 COP 2.3M

-73.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,132 Rp 20.5M

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-65.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$698 Rp 12.6M

$1,441 COP 4.6M

-51.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$210 Rp 3.8M

$624 COP 2.0M

-66.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.54%

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

Last update for Manado: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $324 in Manado versus $475 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 197% 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 Manado versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Manado vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Manado vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $871 per month in Manado and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 328% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $94.9 per month in Manado and $316 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 Manado, where all-in costs run around $580, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Manado it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Manado. 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.