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: $651 in Medan versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $982 in Medan versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,313 in Medan versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Medan costs roughly 36% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 51% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-69.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-67.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-54.58%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$1.71 COP 6,115

5.26%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,122

$1.10 COP 3,924

-63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,419

$0.78 COP 2,781

-67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$1.68 COP 5,997

-5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

$3.07 COP 11.0K

67.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

$1.09 COP 3,906

8.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.26 COP 4,508

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.38 COP 4,922

-36.96%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$2.19 COP 7,827

-27.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

122.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-31.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-22.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

$2.34 COP 8,349

-2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.06 COP 3,777

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$1.50 COP 5,374

-2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$1.38 COP 4,924

-31.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

$1.15 COP 4,111

-35.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$1.16 COP 4,155

11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.89 COP 3,182

-48.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,201

$0.84 COP 2,997

-45.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

$2.28 COP 8,145

8.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

48.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

$1.20 COP 4,284

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

$2.47 COP 8,824

28.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,318

$0.86 COP 3,056

-65.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-76.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,345

$1.47 COP 5,264

-64.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,931

$1.96 COP 7,009

-88.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-18.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.95 COP 3,409

-13.68%

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

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

54.85%

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

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

27.77%

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

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

$82.3 COP 293.7K

1.40%

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

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-61.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

38.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-61.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-8.91%

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

$126 Rp 2.3M

$309 COP 1.1M

-59.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

77.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

$58.7 COP 209.5K

12.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

31.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Rp 2.1M

$103 COP 366.4K

12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

$108 COP 387.2K

-39.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$476 COP 1.7M

-59.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$379 COP 1.4M

-73.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.7M

$838 COP 3.0M

-35.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 Rp 4.1M

$724 COP 2.6M

-68.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-57.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 Rp 10.1M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-53.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.8M

$512 COP 1.8M

-58.01%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $191 in Medan and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 138% 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 $187 vs $188 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 138% 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: $191 in Medan versus $476 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 320% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $126 in Medan versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $651 in Medan versus $1,013 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 56% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.