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: $1,641 in Medellin versus $660 in Ambon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,038 in Ambon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $1,416 in Ambon.

Living in Medellin is roughly 149% more expensive than in Ambon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Ambon is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

624.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$13.82 Rp 243.2K

249.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$3.84 Rp 67.7K

145.31%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

93.42%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.44 Rp 7,725

322.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.29 Rp 5,052

403.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.46 Rp 43.3K

30.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.48 Rp 61.2K

64.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.99 Rp 17.5K

142.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

95.40%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.44 Rp 25.4K

100.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$7.45 Rp 131.2K

35.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.04 Rp 53.5K

227.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.69 Rp 135.3K

84.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.29 Rp 40.4K

73.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.28 Rp 22.5K

23.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.68 Rp 29.6K

27.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.23 Rp 21.7K

86.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.27 Rp 22.3K

57.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

-22.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.40 Rp 7,058

220.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

74.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$20.79 Rp 366.0K

-32.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.84 Rp 32.3K

-7.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.98 Rp 52.5K

-8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.32 Rp 5,660

290.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$17.28 Rp 304.2K

350.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.50 Rp 8,853

162.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.34 Rp 6,013

538.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$2.67 Rp 46.9K

210.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

63.86%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$24.6K Rp 433.9M

11.47%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$28.8K Rp 507.8M

26.67%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$71.4 Rp 1.3M

136.34%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$5.73 Rp 100.9K

136.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$19.19 Rp 337.8K

47.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$19.11 Rp 336.5K

139.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$9.56 Rp 168.3K

80.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$1.39 Rp 24.4K

378.42%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

806.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$8,065 Rp 142.0M

13.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$43.82 Rp 771.5K

99.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$27.99 Rp 492.9K

112.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

93.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$70.4 Rp 1.2M

44.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$198 Rp 3.5M

441.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$171 Rp 3.0M

282.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$629 Rp 11.1M

206.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$344 Rp 6.1M

204.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,135 Rp 20.0M

263.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$591 Rp 10.4M

187.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$126 Rp 2.2M

420.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.46

15.64%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ambon: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $198 in Ambon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 421% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $14.00 in Ambon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $195 per month, with Ambon 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

Medellin vs Ambon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 149% 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 421% 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $198 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $660 in Ambon – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 351% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $660 in Ambon versus $1,641 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 $660 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 149% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.