Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,275 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,093 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,912 in Bali, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than Bali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Bali is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$2.78 Rp 49.0K

189.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$30.58 Rp 538.3K

57.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$4.71 Rp 83.0K

100.00%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.34 Rp 41.1K

25.64%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

22.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.67 Rp 11.8K

117.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.56 Rp 45.1K

25.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.67 Rp 64.6K

55.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.12 Rp 37.3K

13.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

53.15%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.02 Rp 35.5K

43.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$16.67 Rp 293.5K

-39.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.75 Rp 66.0K

165.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$11.85 Rp 208.7K

19.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.51 Rp 61.9K

13.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.54 Rp 27.1K

2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

-4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.92 Rp 33.7K

19.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

15.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.30 Rp 40.5K

-34.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.01 Rp 17.7K

18.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.51 Rp 9,046

150.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.13 Rp 37.4K

80.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$21.59 Rp 380.1K

-35.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

-22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.86 Rp 50.3K

-4.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.25 Rp 4,377

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$8.22 Rp 144.6K

847.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.49 Rp 8,567

167.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.48 Rp 8,392

352.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$5.52 Rp 97.1K

50.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

67.90%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$24.7K Rp 435.2M

11.14%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$31.8K Rp 559.5M

14.98%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$82.8 Rp 1.5M

103.89%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

109.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$19.04 Rp 335.1K

48.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$47.52 Rp 836.6K

-3.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$15.14 Rp 266.6K

13.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$3.77 Rp 66.3K

76.39%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$446 Rp 7.9M

80.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$5,332 Rp 93.9M

72.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$44.63 Rp 785.8K

95.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$33.69 Rp 593.1K

76.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$77.2 Rp 1.4M

79.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

31.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,003 Rp 17.7M

6.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$610 Rp 10.7M

7.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$3,095 Rp 54.5M

-37.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,500 Rp 26.4M

-30.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,478 Rp 43.6M

66.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,968 Rp 34.7M

-13.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$220 Rp 3.9M

197.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.78

-20.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bali: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,003 in Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 198% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $278 – making Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 29% more than Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,913 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,275 in Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,275, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bali costs $1,275 versus $1,641 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.