Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $635 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $934 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,234 in Bandung.

Living in Medellin is roughly 62% more expensive than Bandung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bandung 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.9K

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

358.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 114.6K

$9.21 Rp 163.1K

256.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.9K

$3.36 Rp 59.6K

120.83%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,761

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

10.00%

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

$1.07 COP 3,729

$0.53 Rp 9,322

101.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,654

$0.27 Rp 4,830

181.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 6,015

$3.47 Rp 61.6K

-50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.2K

$3.60 Rp 63.8K

-11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,560

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

19.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,674

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

42.55%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,657

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

44.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.4K

$9.25 Rp 163.8K

-52.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.9K

$3.09 Rp 54.7K

84.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.7K

$7.73 Rp 136.9K

10.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,167

$2.35 Rp 41.7K

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,873

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,304

$1.71 Rp 30.3K

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,765

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

-13.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,021

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

-17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,116

$2.56 Rp 45.4K

-53.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,937

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

-13.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,984

$0.46 Rp 8,130

86.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,893

$2.58 Rp 45.7K

-12.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 40.5K

$22.40 Rp 396.8K

-48.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,183

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

-43.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,637

$3.57 Rp 63.3K

-30.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,770

$0.32 Rp 5,750

146.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 142.5K

$10.50 Rp 185.9K

288.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,114

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

96.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,686

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

149.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 27.1K

$2.45 Rp 43.4K

217.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,526

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

20.24%

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

$17.7K COP 61.6M

$24.9K Rp 440.9M

-29.05%

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

$26.5K COP 92.3M

$25.4K Rp 450.8M

3.95%

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

$81.1 COP 283.0K

$43.15 Rp 764.4K

87.95%

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

$9.43 COP 32.9K

$4.62 Rp 81.8K

104.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 83.2K

$23.12 Rp 409.5K

3.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 90.7K

$21.83 Rp 386.8K

19.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 65.3K

$6.56 Rp 116.1K

185.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.3K

$3.01 Rp 53.3K

35.88%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$92.2 Rp 1.6M

240.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 21.0M

$7,546 Rp 133.7M

-20.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 208.3K

$42.50 Rp 752.9K

40.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 111.5K

$30.38 Rp 538.1K

5.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 353.2K

$57.9 Rp 1.0M

74.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 366.8K

$63.9 Rp 1.1M

64.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$235 Rp 4.2M

106.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$155 Rp 2.7M

136.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.9M

$454 Rp 8.0M

82.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$250 Rp 4.4M

191.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.4M

$724 Rp 12.8M

313.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.6M

$305 Rp 5.4M

331.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$289 Rp 5.1M

90.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.15

46.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bandung: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $235 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 91% 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 $9.00 in Bandung. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $215, 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 Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 91% 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 $235 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $635 in Bandung versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bandung but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bandung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $635 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bandung 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.