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: $607 in Medan versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $933 in Medan versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,260 in Medan versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Medan costs roughly 65% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medan is 56% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-78.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-81.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-69.70%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$2.91 COP 9,167

-46.74%

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

$0.34 Rp 6,114

$1.94 COP 6,122

-82.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,458

$1.52 COP 4,792

-83.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$3.09 COP 9,740

-44.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-37.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.36 COP 4,296

-20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

$2.39 COP 7,519

-52.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

$1.70 COP 5,356

-51.18%

Eggs

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

$2.87 COP 9,038

-53.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-20.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-67.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-56.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-40.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

$1.57 COP 4,950

-33.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

$2.13 COP 6,695

-30.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

$2.21 COP 6,972

-56.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$2.05 COP 6,447

-57.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

$1.50 COP 4,737

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 Rp 7,334

$1.19 COP 3,747

-65.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,756

$1.16 COP 3,647

-62.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-22.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

$14.44 COP 45.5K

13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

$1.58 COP 4,987

21.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

$2.83 COP 8,905

7.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,759

$1.17 COP 3,679

-76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-92.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,394

$1.28 COP 4,045

-58.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 Rp 3,602

$2.09 COP 6,589

-90.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.30 COP 4,088

-40.77%

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

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-9.81%

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

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-11.06%

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

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

$176 COP 554.5K

-50.89%

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

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-75.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-21.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-61.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-49.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-44.68%

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

$114 Rp 2.0M

$793 COP 2.5M

-85.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-80.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-34.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-33.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 Rp 1.9M

$136 COP 429.3K

-22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Rp 2.0M

$103 COP 324.7K

11.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-83.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$680 COP 2.1M

-86.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 Rp 8.8M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-75.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 Rp 3.8M

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-81.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-72.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 Rp 10.1M

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-66.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$665 COP 2.1M

-67.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

10.94

-15.45%

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

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in Medan and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 211% 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 Medan vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $303 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 183% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 211% 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: $177 in Medan versus $1,060 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 1181% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $114 in Medan versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Medan versus $1,716 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 183% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.