Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $640 in Medan versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $988 in Medan versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,336 in Medan versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Medan costs roughly 38% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 52% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-69.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.72 Rp 191.8K

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-67.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 58.7K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-55.31%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$1.72 COP 5,592

4.65%

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

$0.39 Rp 7,031

$1.05 COP 3,416

-62.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,855

$0.77 COP 2,511

-64.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.69 COP 5,480

-8.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 Rp 93.8K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

65.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.05 COP 3,418

12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.30 COP 4,230

-9.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.40 COP 4,538

-40.71%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

$2.16 COP 7,037

-29.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 168.1K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

113.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-36.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 Rp 122.2K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-20.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

$2.28 COP 7,415

1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.11 COP 3,599

-9.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$1.53 COP 4,976

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$1.35 COP 4,405

-34.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.13 COP 3,669

-33.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$1.13 COP 3,687

12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 8,138

$0.85 COP 2,749

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,778

$0.91 COP 2,971

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

$2.34 COP 7,619

5.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 Rp 284.5K

$12.37 COP 40.2K

28.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 Rp 24.3K

$1.20 COP 3,904

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.7K

$2.49 COP 8,094

27.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,810

$0.84 COP 2,724

-61.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 Rp 171.5K

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-76.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$1.42 COP 4,617

-59.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,944

$1.92 COP 6,227

-88.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 Rp 110.5K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-19.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.99 COP 3,219

-17.17%

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

$28.0K Rp 501.3M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

55.41%

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

$33.9K Rp 606.5M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

27.32%

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

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

$80.8 COP 262.7K

3.51%

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

$3.67 Rp 65.7K

$9.95 COP 32.3K

-63.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.25 Rp 612.7K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

41.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 Rp 415.1K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

-7.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 Rp 127.4K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-62.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-12.31%

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

$123 Rp 2.2M

$305 COP 992.2K

-59.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

74.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

$58.1 COP 189.0K

14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 Rp 754.5K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

30.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Rp 2.1M

$101 COP 327.5K

14.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

$108 COP 350.3K

-39.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$477 COP 1.5M

-58.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 Rp 1.8M

$376 COP 1.2M

-73.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 Rp 9.5M

$845 COP 2.7M

-37.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$730 COP 2.4M

-68.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 Rp 19.8M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-65.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$550 Rp 9.8M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-59.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 Rp 3.8M

$617 COP 2.0M

-65.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

13.43

-31.12%

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

Last update for Medan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in Medan and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 189% 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 Medan vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $193 per month, with Medan 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

Medan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 189% 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: $196 in Medan versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 323% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $123 in Medan versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $640 in Medan versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.