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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $603 per month in Manado vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $929 per month in Manado vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,255 per month in Manado vs $2,120 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 55% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.27 Rp 21.9K

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-78.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.38 Rp 162.0K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-71.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 54.3K

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-56.39%

Cappuccino

$1.66 Rp 28.7K

$1.70 COP 6,186

-2.35%

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

$0.32 Rp 5,542

$1.10 COP 3,996

-70.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,513

$0.72 COP 2,625

-63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 Rp 63.3K

$1.67 COP 6,067

119.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 Rp 101.4K

$3.10 COP 11.3K

89.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 21.1K

$1.06 COP 3,837

15.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 Rp 15.7K

$1.25 COP 4,531

-27.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 Rp 12.7K

$1.39 COP 5,060

-47.48%

Eggs

$1.82 Rp 31.4K

$2.26 COP 8,229

-19.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 136.5K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

82.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 Rp 53.1K

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-47.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 Rp 133.6K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-12.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 48.6K

$2.24 COP 8,159

25.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 25.4K

$1.08 COP 3,911

36.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

$1.53 COP 5,563

21.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 22.5K

$1.37 COP 4,987

-5.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 23.6K

$1.13 COP 4,109

21.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.8K

$1.12 COP 4,067

69.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

$0.85 COP 3,080

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,199

$0.91 COP 3,305

-48.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 Rp 40.1K

$2.33 COP 8,477

-0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$28.87 Rp 498.4K

$11.13 COP 40.5K

159.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 30.2K

$1.19 COP 4,342

47.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 Rp 54.6K

$2.37 COP 8,617

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,581

$0.79 COP 2,859

-59.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.60 Rp 165.8K

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-76.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,288

$1.44 COP 5,223

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,397

$1.91 COP 6,952

-80.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 Rp 51.1K

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-63.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 13.8K

$0.94 COP 3,410

-14.89%

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

$24.7K Rp 426.1M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

37.70%

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

$27.2K Rp 469.0M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

1.38%

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

$24.75 Rp 427.3K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-70.52%

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

$4.32 Rp 74.6K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-55.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.13 Rp 399.4K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-4.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.53 Rp 319.9K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-28.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 Rp 105.6K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-67.86%

Cinema Ticket

$2.66 Rp 45.9K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

-32.14%

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

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

$306 COP 1.1M

-69.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,155 Rp 89.0M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-12.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

$57.9 COP 210.6K

5.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.46 Rp 422.3K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-23.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 Rp 1.6M

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-6.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

$107 COP 389.7K

-30.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 Rp 5.7M

$487 COP 1.8M

-32.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

$368 COP 1.3M

-73.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 Rp 5.6M

$826 COP 3.0M

-60.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.2M

$716 COP 2.6M

-73.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,203 Rp 20.8M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-58.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 Rp 13.5M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-44.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 Rp 3.8M

$546 COP 2.0M

-59.47%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 in Manado versus $487 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 147% 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 – $221 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 71%, 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 $905 per month in Manado and $1,550 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 $92.1 per month in Manado and $306 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 $603, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.