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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $778 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,200 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,622 in Balikpapan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 32% 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

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

282.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$15.13 Rp 268.0K

117.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

121.49%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

-4.62%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.40 Rp 7,116

167.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.38 Rp 6,803

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

-14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

1.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.89 Rp 33.6K

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

6.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

5.51%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-17.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$7.92 Rp 140.3K

-44.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$5.03 Rp 89.2K

13.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

7.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.73 Rp 66.0K

-37.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

-28.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

-28.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.26 Rp 22.3K

8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.81 Rp 32.1K

-36.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

-67.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

-10.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

8.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

9.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$21.59 Rp 382.5K

-46.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$4.33 Rp 76.8K

-42.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

25.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$9.67 Rp 171.2K

322.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

17.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.38 Rp 6,652

405.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

30.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

36.49%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$24.5K Rp 434.5M

-28.01%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$26.0K Rp 460.5M

1.76%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

-11.94%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

216.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$31.61 Rp 560.0K

-24.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$21.70 Rp 384.3K

19.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$6.06 Rp 107.3K

208.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.12 Rp 55.3K

31.09%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$61.9 Rp 1.1M

408.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$7,588 Rp 134.4M

-20.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$41.41 Rp 733.6K

44.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$20.63 Rp 365.5K

54.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$124 Rp 2.2M

-18.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$124 Rp 2.2M

-14.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$222 Rp 3.9M

118.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$155 Rp 2.8M

134.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$492 Rp 8.7M

68.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$309 Rp 5.5M

136.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,084 Rp 19.2M

176.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$628 Rp 11.1M

109.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$195 Rp 3.4M

183.12%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $222 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 183% 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 $15.00 in Balikpapan. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $252, 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 32% in total monthly costs ($1,028 vs $778 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 183% 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: $485 in Medellin versus $222 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 322% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $315 in Medellin versus $61.9 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $778 in Balikpapan versus $1,028 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 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.