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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $582 per month in Manado vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $892 per month in Manado vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Manado vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Manado is about 43% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manado and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Manado 57% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-79.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.45 Rp 169.2K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-71.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-56.98%

Cappuccino

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

$1.63 COP 5,687

-0.61%

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

$0.30 Rp 5,314

$1.09 COP 3,821

-72.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,685

$0.73 COP 2,548

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 Rp 67.9K

$1.74 COP 6,065

117.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 Rp 101.6K

$3.23 COP 11.3K

75.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.05 COP 3,662

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

$1.29 COP 4,515

-31.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.32 COP 4,617

-43.18%

Eggs

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

$2.27 COP 7,927

-16.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 146.3K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

87.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 57.9K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-45.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.00 Rp 143.3K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-7.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 Rp 50.9K

$2.25 COP 7,844

26.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.07 COP 3,733

35.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$1.52 COP 5,322

18.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.0K

$1.42 COP 4,964

-9.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

$1.17 COP 4,084

13.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

$1.17 COP 4,077

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

$0.89 COP 3,096

8.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Rp 8,603

$0.90 COP 3,146

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 Rp 43.6K

$2.25 COP 7,837

8.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.81 Rp 372.8K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

88.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

$1.14 COP 3,977

60.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

$2.38 COP 8,301

34.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 Rp 6,341

$0.84 COP 2,916

-58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.11 Rp 181.1K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-75.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,601

$1.41 COP 4,912

-61.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,652

$1.90 COP 6,634

-80.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 Rp 52.5K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-62.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$1.01 COP 3,509

-23.76%

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

$24.5K Rp 438.1M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

39.10%

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

$27.2K Rp 487.3M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

2.65%

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

$25.00 Rp 447.8K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-70.12%

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

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-54.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.32 Rp 400.0K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-7.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.56 Rp 332.6K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-26.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 Rp 109.8K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-67.97%

Cinema Ticket

$2.54 Rp 45.5K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-38.05%

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

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

$312 COP 1.1M

-69.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,063 Rp 90.7M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-15.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

$58.0 COP 202.6K

7.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.48 Rp 438.6K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-24.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-6.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$109 COP 378.8K

-31.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$322 Rp 5.8M

$482 COP 1.7M

-33.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 Rp 1.8M

$379 COP 1.3M

-73.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 Rp 5.8M

$837 COP 2.9M

-61.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.3M

$723 COP 2.5M

-74.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.1M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-58.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-44.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 Rp 3.7M

$541 COP 1.9M

-61.44%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $322 in Manado versus $482 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 159% 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 – $207 in Manado vs $190 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 75%, 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 $873 per month in Manado and $1,525 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 315% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.2 per month in Manado and $312 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 $582, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.