Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ambon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ambon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $668 in Ambon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,023 in Ambon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,378 in Ambon.

Living in Medellin is roughly 52% more expensive than Ambon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Ambon 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

523.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$12.24 Rp 219.4K

168.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.32 Rp 59.5K

113.55%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.66 Rp 29.8K

3.01%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.54 Rp 9,708

103.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.24 Rp 4,299

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.53 Rp 45.3K

-33.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

-12.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.23 Rp 22.0K

-11.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.93 Rp 16.6K

48.39%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

37.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.96 Rp 142.7K

-44.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.14 Rp 56.3K

79.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.84 Rp 140.6K

13.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

1.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.49 Rp 26.8K

-28.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.54 Rp 27.7K

-10.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-12.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.95 Rp 34.9K

-40.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

-1.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.41 Rp 7,338

104.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.45 Rp 43.9K

-6.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$21.81 Rp 390.9K

-51.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.08 Rp 37.4K

-42.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.11 Rp 55.8K

-20.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.30 Rp 5,322

186.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$10.07 Rp 180.5K

311.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.53 Rp 9,508

177.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.34 Rp 6,160

476.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.90 Rp 52.0K

166.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

23.38%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$24.1K Rp 432.0M

-24.76%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$27.7K Rp 496.2M

-4.31%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

16.09%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$4.34 Rp 77.8K

118.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$22.70 Rp 406.8K

6.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$23.39 Rp 419.3K

10.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$6.25 Rp 112.0K

204.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.02 Rp 54.1K

30.13%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

232.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,536 Rp 135.1M

-20.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$41.81 Rp 749.5K

40.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$30.35 Rp 544.1K

6.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

51.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

48.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$261 Rp 4.7M

82.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$159 Rp 2.8M

138.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$594 Rp 10.6M

41.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$335 Rp 6.0M

116.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,080 Rp 19.4M

158.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$711 Rp 12.8M

70.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$175 Rp 3.1M

193.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.15

46.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ambon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $261 in Ambon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 193% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Ambon. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $209, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Medellin vs Ambon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 193% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $261 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $668 in Ambon – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 311% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $668 in Ambon versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $668 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ambon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.