Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Marikina Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Marikina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $651 per month in Medan vs $684 in Marikina, rent included.

A couple spends around $982 per month in Medan vs $1,072 in Marikina, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,313 per month in Medan vs $1,459 in Marikina, rent included.

Medan is about 5% cheaper than Marikina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medan and Marikina are more affordable than the global median – Medan 51% lower, Marikina 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

$3.47 ₱214

-47.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 Rp 190.6K

$28.45 ₱1,755

-62.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.22 Rp 57.7K

$3.46 ₱214

-6.94%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

$2.69 ₱166

-33.09%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,149

$0.72 ₱44.53

-44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,436

$0.40 ₱24.95

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.08 ₱66.9

46.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 Rp 92.0K

$2.63 ₱162

95.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$2.05 ₱127

-42.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.45 ₱89.8

-19.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.10 ₱68.1

-20.91%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$2.26 ₱139

-30.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 Rp 175.2K

$7.94 ₱490

23.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.6K

$4.61 ₱284

-15.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.86 Rp 123.0K

$7.93 ₱489

-13.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

$2.72 ₱168

-15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

$1.92 ₱119

-47.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.4K

$2.71 ₱167

-45.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

$2.16 ₱133

-56.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$3.32 ₱205

-77.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$2.91 ₱179

-55.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 Rp 8,194

$1.14 ₱70.1

-59.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,232

$0.69 ₱42.60

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.4K

$2.85 ₱176

-12.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 Rp 282.4K

$8.76 ₱541

79.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

$1.24 ₱76.7

8.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.8K

$2.08 ₱128

52.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,338

$0.46 ₱28.48

-34.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 Rp 176.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,380

$0.76 ₱47.19

-31.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,946

$0.12 ₱7.65

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 Rp 112.4K

$3.61 ₱223

73.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$1.10 ₱68.0

-25.45%

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

$28.1K Rp 503.3M

$34.0K ₱2.1M

-17.53%

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

$33.8K Rp 606.6M

$17.4K ₱1.1M

94.23%

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

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

$110 ₱6,770

-23.99%

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

$3.64 Rp 65.3K

$13.62 ₱840

-73.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.53 Rp 601.1K

$26.05 ₱1,607

28.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.40 Rp 419.4K

$41.93 ₱2,587

-44.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 Rp 130.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 Rp 64.1K

$6.38 ₱394

-43.89%

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

$126 Rp 2.3M

$321 ₱19.8K

-60.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

$1,131 ₱69.8K

834.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

$46.42 ₱2,864

42.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.49 Rp 761.8K

$26.04 ₱1,607

63.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Rp 2.1M

$56.5 ₱3,485

104.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

$26.95 ₱1,663

143.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$178 ₱11.0K

7.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$88.2 ₱5,439

11.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.8M

$297 ₱18.3K

83.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 Rp 4.1M

$168 ₱10.4K

37.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.1M

$1,140 ₱70.3K

3.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 Rp 10.2M

$478 ₱29.5K

18.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.9M

$398 ₱24.5K

-45.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

6.25

48.00%

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

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Marikina: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $191 in Medan versus $178 in Marikina. 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 85% higher in Marikina, 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 $11.00 in Medan versus $28.00 in Marikina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $222 – making Medan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Medan vs Marikina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $651 in Medan, $684 in Marikina – roughly 5% apart. Marikina costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $977 per month in Medan and $1,027 in Marikina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $651 in Medan and $684 in Marikina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $126 per month in Medan and $321 in Marikina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $651 in Medan and $684 in Marikina, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marikina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.