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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $668 in Ambon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,017 in Ambon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,367 in Ambon.

Living in Medellin is roughly 54% more expensive than in Ambon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Ambon 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$0.96 Rp 17.3K

541.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$12.48 Rp 223.8K

161.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.31 Rp 59.3K

121.75%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

2.38%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.55 Rp 9,893

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.26 Rp 4,695

196.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.51 Rp 45.1K

-32.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.50 Rp 62.8K

-9.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

59.09%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

41.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.18 Rp 146.7K

-46.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.09 Rp 55.5K

90.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.04 Rp 144.2K

7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-1.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

-22.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

-15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

-15.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.97 Rp 35.4K

-42.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.44 Rp 7,973

106.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.53 Rp 45.3K

-7.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$19.83 Rp 355.7K

-37.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.13 Rp 38.1K

-43.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.09 Rp 55.5K

-19.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.32 Rp 5,789

162.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$10.00 Rp 179.4K

305.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

144.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.34 Rp 6,173

464.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.84 Rp 51.0K

169.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

20.73%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.6K Rp 440.6M

-26.60%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.0K Rp 501.5M

-4.75%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

17.85%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$4.23 Rp 75.8K

135.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.66 Rp 406.5K

6.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$22.66 Rp 406.4K

10.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.02 Rp 108.0K

218.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.09 Rp 55.4K

28.80%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$93.2 Rp 1.7M

227.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,695 Rp 138.0M

-21.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$41.17 Rp 738.6K

41.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.46 Rp 546.4K

5.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$67.6 Rp 1.2M

49.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

44.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$258 Rp 4.6M

84.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$157 Rp 2.8M

138.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$584 Rp 10.5M

44.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$327 Rp 5.9M

123.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,059 Rp 19.0M

203.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$671 Rp 12.0M

104.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$167 Rp 3.0M

268.48%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ambon: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $258 in Ambon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 268% 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 $193 vs $206, 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 54% 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.

Average pay runs 268% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $258 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $668 in Ambon – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 306% 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 $1,031 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 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.