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: $578 in Mataram versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $867 in Mataram versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,157 in Mataram versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Mataram costs roughly 43% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mataram 57% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-82.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.01 Rp 197.3K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-66.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-67.50%

Cappuccino

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

$1.63 COP 5,687

14.72%

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

$0.54 Rp 9,705

$1.09 COP 3,821

-50.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,486

$0.73 COP 2,548

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 Rp 45.4K

$1.74 COP 6,065

45.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Rp 67.5K

$3.23 COP 11.3K

16.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

$1.05 COP 3,662

46.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

$1.29 COP 4,515

29.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.32 COP 4,617

-37.12%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.5K

$2.27 COP 7,927

-37.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.19 Rp 57.2K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

-26.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 Rp 64.2K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-38.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-29.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 29.4K

$2.25 COP 7,844

-27.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.7K

$1.07 COP 3,733

17.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.2K

$1.52 COP 5,322

21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.42 COP 4,964

-47.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 15.0K

$1.17 COP 4,084

-28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

$1.17 COP 4,077

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 Rp 8,621

$0.89 COP 3,096

-46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 Rp 6,097

$0.90 COP 3,146

-62.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

$2.25 COP 7,837

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 Rp 272.9K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

37.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.8K

$1.14 COP 3,977

109.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 Rp 68.1K

$2.38 COP 8,301

59.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

$0.84 COP 2,916

-23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.26 Rp 327.2K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-56.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,057

$1.41 COP 4,912

-63.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,136

$1.90 COP 6,634

-84.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-61.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$1.01 COP 3,509

-36.63%

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

$23.2K Rp 415.3M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

31.87%

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

$27.1K Rp 486.3M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

2.45%

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

$50.4 Rp 902.3K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-39.82%

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

$4.25 Rp 76.2K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-55.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.16 Rp 343.3K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-20.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.28 Rp 470.9K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

3.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.75 Rp 138.9K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-59.51%

Cinema Ticket

$2.19 Rp 39.2K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-46.59%

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

$90.9 Rp 1.6M

$312 COP 1.1M

-70.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,244 Rp 76.0M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-29.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.49 Rp 671.7K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-35.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.39 Rp 437.0K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-25.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-38.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.32 Rp 722.3K

$109 COP 378.8K

-62.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$77.1 Rp 1.4M

$482 COP 1.7M

-84.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 Rp 2.3M

$379 COP 1.3M

-66.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$837 COP 2.9M

-81.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$723 COP 2.5M

-64.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,135 Rp 20.3M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-60.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$700 Rp 12.5M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-42.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$197 Rp 3.5M

$541 COP 1.9M

-63.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-32.99%

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

Last update for Mataram: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $77.1 in Mataram and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 175% 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: $11.00 in Mataram vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $190 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 76% in total monthly costs ($578 vs $1,017 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 175% less. 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: $77.1 in Mataram versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mataram – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $578 in Mataram versus $1,017 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 76% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.