Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Banda Aceh Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Banda Aceh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $326 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $521 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $716 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 415% more than Banda Aceh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Banda Aceh is 76% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

248.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$7.01 Rp 124.1K

582.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.50 Rp 61.9K

182.57%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.26 Rp 22.3K

148.41%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.42 Rp 7,429

354.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.24 Rp 4,264

529.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

24.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.93 Rp 69.6K

46.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.65 Rp 29.3K

-12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

179.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

132.89%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.61 Rp 28.5K

83.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.58 Rp 151.9K

17.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.49 Rp 44.0K

306.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.83 Rp 120.9K

109.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

79.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

82.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

152.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.88 Rp 15.5K

155.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

131.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.47 Rp 61.4K

-55.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.45 Rp 7,985

191.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.17 Rp 56.2K

23.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.67 Rp 11.9K

104.48%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$34.54 Rp 611.7K

413.32%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$2.36 Rp 41.8K

488.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$23.88 Rp 422.8K

24.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$9.69 Rp 171.5K

363.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$13.38 Rp 237.0K

27.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,963 Rp 34.8M

367.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$28.52 Rp 505.1K

213.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$22.86 Rp 404.8K

157.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$44.76 Rp 792.6K

208.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$28.29 Rp 501.0K

261.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Banda Aceh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $7.00 in Banda Aceh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $137 – making Banda Aceh 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 Banda Aceh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 415%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $490 in Banda Aceh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 123% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $7.00 in Banda Aceh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banda Aceh, where all-in costs run around $326, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Banda Aceh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Banda Aceh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Banda Aceh. 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.