Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Nanning Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Nanning

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $651 in Medan versus $680 in Nanning.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $982 in Medan versus $1,077 in Nanning.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,313 in Medan versus $1,474 in Nanning.

Living in Medan costs roughly 4% less than in Nanning, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 51% lower, Nanning 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

$2.82 ¥19.05

-35.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

$19.05 ¥129

-44.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

$5.16 ¥34.91

-37.60%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$2.27 ¥15.35

-20.70%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,122

$0.54 ¥3.67

-25.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,419

$0.27 ¥1.83

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$0.87 ¥5.90

81.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

$2.35 ¥15.92

118.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

$1.78 ¥12.07

-33.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.10 ¥7.40

6.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.02 ¥6.92

-14.71%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.61 ¥10.91

-1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

$9.52 ¥64.4

2.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

$3.28 ¥22.20

18.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

$14.68 ¥99.3

-53.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

$1.89 ¥12.77

21.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.06 ¥7.14

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$1.19 ¥8.03

23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$1.66 ¥11.20

-43.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

$0.84 ¥5.68

-11.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$1.09 ¥7.34

18.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.44 ¥2.95

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,201

$0.50 ¥3.41

-8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

$3.53 ¥23.89

-29.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

$14.79 ¥100

6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

$0.86 ¥5.79

56.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

$1.78 ¥12.04

78.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,318

$0.47 ¥3.19

-36.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

$14.56 ¥98.4

-32.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,345

$1.22 ¥8.25

-57.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,931

$0.40 ¥2.68

-45.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

$7.46 ¥50.5

-15.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.14 ¥7.70

-28.07%

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

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

$21.2K ¥143.7K

32.15%

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

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

$12.7K ¥85.7K

167.00%

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

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

$39.49 ¥267

111.19%

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

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

$13.41 ¥90.7

-72.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

$10.80 ¥73.0

210.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

$69.6 ¥471

-66.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

$7.09 ¥47.91

2.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

$5.67 ¥38.34

-36.86%

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

$126 Rp 2.3M

$302 ¥2,041

-58.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

$13.8K ¥93.4K

-23.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

$18.63 ¥126

255.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

$27.44 ¥186

54.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Rp 2.1M

$64.7 ¥438

78.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

$105 ¥707

-37.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$231 ¥1,559

-16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$144 ¥975

-31.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.7M

$350 ¥2,366

55.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 Rp 4.1M

$269 ¥1,818

-14.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

$3,474 ¥23.5K

-66.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 Rp 10.1M

$1,423 ¥9,622

-60.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.8M

$660 ¥4,462

-67.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

4.18

121.29%

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

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nanning: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $191 in Medan and $231 in Nanning. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanning pays 207% 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 $19.00 in Nanning for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $207 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 Nanning: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Nanning earns 207% 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 $231 in Nanning. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 48% less than in Nanning. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $126 in Medan versus $302 in Nanning. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Medan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Nanning. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.