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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $640 per month in Medan vs $664 in Marikina, rent included.

A couple spends around $988 per month in Medan vs $1,053 in Marikina, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,336 per month in Medan vs $1,441 in Marikina, rent included.

Medan is about 4% cheaper than Marikina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medan and Marikina are more affordable than the global median – Medan 52% lower, Marikina 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

$3.47 ₱213

-45.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.72 Rp 191.8K

$28.88 ₱1,778

-62.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 58.7K

$3.54 ₱218

-7.34%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$2.68 ₱165

-32.84%

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

$0.39 Rp 7,031

$0.68 ₱42.10

-42.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,855

$0.44 ₱26.95

-38.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.08 ₱66.3

43.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 Rp 93.8K

$2.72 ₱167

92.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$2.10 ₱129

-43.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.43 ₱88.1

-17.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.07 ₱65.8

-22.43%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

$2.27 ₱140

-32.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 168.1K

$8.10 ₱499

15.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

$4.56 ₱281

-18.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 Rp 122.2K

$7.57 ₱466

-9.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

$2.71 ₱167

-14.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.99 ₱123

-49.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$2.59 ₱160

-40.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$2.19 ₱135

-59.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$3.30 ₱203

-77.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$2.94 ₱181

-56.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 8,138

$1.08 ₱66.7

-58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,778

$0.73 ₱44.80

-32.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

$2.70 ₱166

-8.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 Rp 284.5K

$8.99 ₱553

76.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 Rp 24.3K

$1.19 ₱73.3

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.7K

$2.08 ₱128

52.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,810

$0.46 ₱28.06

-30.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 Rp 171.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$0.77 ₱47.31

-24.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,944

$0.13 ₱7.84

69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 Rp 110.5K

$3.60 ₱221

71.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.09 ₱67.1

-24.77%

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

$28.0K Rp 501.3M

$33.6K ₱2.1M

-16.65%

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

$33.9K Rp 606.5M

$17.4K ₱1.1M

94.57%

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

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

$110 ₱6,800

-24.26%

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

$3.67 Rp 65.7K

$13.50 ₱831

-72.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.25 Rp 612.7K

$26.08 ₱1,605

31.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 Rp 415.1K

$41.72 ₱2,568

-44.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 Rp 127.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

$6.35 ₱391

-45.04%

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

$123 Rp 2.2M

$322 ₱19.8K

-61.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

$1,163 ₱71.6K

810.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

$46.46 ₱2,860

43.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 Rp 754.5K

$25.76 ₱1,586

63.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Rp 2.1M

$58.7 ₱3,613

96.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

$27.03 ₱1,664

142.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$175 ₱10.7K

12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 Rp 1.8M

$87.4 ₱5,383

14.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 Rp 9.5M

$290 ₱17.8K

83.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$170 ₱10.5K

36.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 Rp 19.8M

$1,150 ₱70.8K

-3.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$550 Rp 9.8M

$485 ₱29.8K

13.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 Rp 3.8M

$395 ₱24.3K

-46.02%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Marikina: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $196 in Medan versus $175 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 $29.00 in Marikina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 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: $640 in Medan, $664 in Marikina – roughly 4% apart. Marikina costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $961 per month in Medan and $997 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 $640 in Medan and $664 in Marikina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $123 per month in Medan and $322 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 $640 in Medan and $664 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.