Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Balikpapan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Balikpapan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $774 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,193 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,612 in Balikpapan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 33% more expensive than Balikpapan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Balikpapan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.52 Rp 26.4K

289.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$15.63 Rp 270.8K

109.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.42 Rp 59.3K

110.53%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.81 Rp 31.4K

-6.08%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.44 Rp 7,629

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.39 Rp 6,718

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.03 Rp 35.2K

-17.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.16 Rp 54.8K

-1.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.79 Rp 31.0K

-40.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.23 Rp 21.4K

1.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.28 Rp 22.1K

8.59%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.66 Rp 46.1K

-15.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.92 Rp 137.3K

-45.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.80 Rp 83.2K

21.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.99 Rp 138.5K

10.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.64 Rp 63.1K

-38.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

-28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.13 Rp 36.9K

-28.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.19 Rp 20.7K

15.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

-39.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$3.77 Rp 65.3K

-70.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.00 Rp 17.3K

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.81 Rp 14.0K

12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.06 Rp 35.8K

13.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$22.43 Rp 388.8K

-50.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.18 Rp 37.7K

-45.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$4.38 Rp 76.0K

-45.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.62 Rp 10.8K

27.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$9.73 Rp 168.7K

322.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.24 Rp 21.6K

16.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.34 Rp 5,934

461.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.05 Rp 104.8K

32.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.78 Rp 13.5K

20.51%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$24.6K Rp 425.9M

-27.06%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.9K Rp 448.9M

3.44%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$91.7 Rp 1.6M

-8.47%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.06 Rp 53.0K

213.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$32.34 Rp 560.5K

-25.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$21.34 Rp 369.8K

21.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$6.26 Rp 108.4K

204.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.00 Rp 51.9K

30.67%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$60.9 Rp 1.1M

403.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,667 Rp 132.9M

-22.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$41.90 Rp 726.2K

38.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$20.46 Rp 354.6K

55.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$125 Rp 2.2M

-20.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$121 Rp 2.1M

-11.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$217 Rp 3.8M

124.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$156 Rp 2.7M

135.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$497 Rp 8.6M

66.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$303 Rp 5.3M

135.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,193 Rp 20.7M

145.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$876 Rp 15.2M

60.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$204 Rp 3.5M

166.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $217 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 167% 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 $16.00 in Balikpapan. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $251, 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 Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Balikpapan differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $774 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 167% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $217 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 323% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $60.9 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $774 in Balikpapan versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.