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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $787 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,194 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,600 in Balikpapan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 27% more expensive than in Balikpapan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Balikpapan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

274.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$15.12 Rp 273.0K

117.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.32 Rp 59.9K

123.80%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

-7.82%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.41 Rp 7,361

168.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.38 Rp 6,938

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.95 Rp 35.1K

-11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.09 Rp 55.8K

2.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

-41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.31 Rp 23.7K

5.34%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.67 Rp 48.2K

-18.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.25 Rp 149.0K

-45.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

15.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.72 Rp 139.3K

16.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.76 Rp 67.8K

-38.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

-29.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.12 Rp 38.3K

-28.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.26 Rp 22.8K

7.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

-36.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$3.74 Rp 67.6K

-68.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

13.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.01 Rp 36.4K

10.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$20.19 Rp 364.5K

-39.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.18 Rp 39.3K

-45.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

-43.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

46.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$10.12 Rp 182.7K

311.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

17.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.37 Rp 6,708

427.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.07 Rp 109.5K

29.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

35.62%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$24.5K Rp 443.0M

-28.26%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$25.5K Rp 460.1M

5.15%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$93.1 Rp 1.7M

-10.84%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$3.12 Rp 56.4K

210.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$32.41 Rp 585.2K

-27.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$21.16 Rp 382.0K

19.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$6.02 Rp 108.6K

217.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.01 Rp 54.4K

31.23%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$62.0 Rp 1.1M

409.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,605 Rp 137.3M

-21.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$42.03 Rp 758.8K

42.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$21.04 Rp 379.8K

51.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$125 Rp 2.3M

-18.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$123 Rp 2.2M

-12.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$222 Rp 4.0M

113.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$156 Rp 2.8M

139.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$488 Rp 8.8M

73.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$302 Rp 5.4M

138.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,090 Rp 19.7M

199.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$597 Rp 10.8M

141.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$192 Rp 3.5M

225.17%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $222 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 225% 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 $193 vs $249, 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 27% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $787 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 225% 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: $475 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 311% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $62.0 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $787 in Balikpapan versus $1,003 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 27% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.