Cost of Living Comparison Between Mataram and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mataram and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $626 in Mataram versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $978 in Mataram versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,330 in Mataram versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Mataram costs roughly 62% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mataram is 55% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.03 Rp 18.1K

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-87.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.16 Rp 161.3K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-81.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 57.7K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-65.18%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.5K

$2.94 COP 9,040

-48.64%

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

$0.45 Rp 7,983

$1.86 COP 5,735

-75.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,825

$1.46 COP 4,479

-77.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 47.6K

$3.21 COP 9,882

-15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 Rp 60.4K

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-39.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 Rp 23.9K

$1.44 COP 4,428

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 Rp 26.6K

$2.40 COP 7,389

-37.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.3K

$1.70 COP 5,228

-48.82%

Eggs

$1.48 Rp 26.1K

$2.89 COP 8,896

-48.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 Rp 132.4K

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-25.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.91 Rp 51.3K

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-70.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 Rp 133.8K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-46.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-43.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.4K

$1.58 COP 4,878

-18.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$2.15 COP 6,624

-18.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 21.6K

$2.30 COP 7,078

-46.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.2K

$2.00 COP 6,169

-34.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 35.3K

$1.51 COP 4,646

33.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 12.8K

$1.20 COP 3,701

-39.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,177

$1.28 COP 3,946

-67.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 Rp 48.9K

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-27.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.79 Rp 366.0K

$14.01 COP 43.1K

48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 Rp 32.7K

$1.71 COP 5,256

8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 Rp 53.1K

$2.74 COP 8,440

10.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,173

$1.25 COP 3,834

-76.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,777

$1.31 COP 4,016

-61.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,807

$2.17 COP 6,680

-84.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 Rp 50.6K

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-65.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$1.36 COP 4,172

-57.35%

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

$22.9K Rp 402.3M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-16.82%

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

$30.9K Rp 544.2M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-15.40%

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

$68.9 Rp 1.2M

$169 COP 519.2K

-59.15%

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

$4.02 Rp 70.8K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-70.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.52 Rp 343.7K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-31.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.37 Rp 358.7K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-55.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.63 Rp 151.9K

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-49.88%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-58.05%

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

$94.1 Rp 1.7M

$803 COP 2.5M

-88.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,667 Rp 135.0M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-16.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.72 Rp 787.3K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-48.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.49 Rp 519.3K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-50.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

$139 COP 427.5K

-46.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$102 COP 314.0K

-28.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 Rp 4.0M

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-78.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 Rp 2.4M

$653 COP 2.0M

-79.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 Rp 9.9M

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-70.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 Rp 6.5M

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-64.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,194 Rp 21.0M

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-71.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$662 Rp 11.6M

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-61.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$227 Rp 4.0M

$655 COP 2.0M

-65.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

10.94

-13.53%

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

Last update for Mataram: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $227 in Mataram and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 188% 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 Mataram vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $300 per month, with Mataram 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

Mataram vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mataram and Medellin differ by about 162% in total monthly costs ($626 vs $1,641 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 188% 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: $227 in Mataram versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $626 per month in Mataram versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 162% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $626 in Mataram versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mataram but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mataram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 162% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.