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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $628 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $937 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,247 in Bandung.

Living in Medellin is roughly 60% more expensive than in Bandung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.30 Rp 23.5K

354.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$9.27 Rp 167.3K

255.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.42 Rp 61.8K

117.25%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.45 Rp 26.2K

13.79%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.50 Rp 8,955

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.25 Rp 4,465

212.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.36 Rp 60.6K

-48.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.61 Rp 65.1K

-11.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.21 Rp 21.9K

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.07 Rp 19.4K

17.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

48.39%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.58 Rp 28.6K

37.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.26 Rp 167.2K

-51.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.01 Rp 54.4K

92.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.86 Rp 141.9K

14.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.29 Rp 23.3K

-17.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

-10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.60 Rp 28.9K

-15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.48 Rp 26.8K

-23.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.65 Rp 47.9K

-55.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.96 Rp 17.4K

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.46 Rp 8,329

95.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.48 Rp 44.7K

-10.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$21.80 Rp 393.6K

-44.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.09 Rp 37.7K

-43.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.43 Rp 61.9K

-27.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.30 Rp 5,346

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$10.23 Rp 184.7K

306.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

102.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

153.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.58 Rp 46.5K

205.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

25.32%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$25.0K Rp 451.0M

-29.54%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$26.1K Rp 471.5M

2.61%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$44.55 Rp 804.2K

86.33%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.69 Rp 84.7K

106.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$22.48 Rp 405.8K

4.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$21.87 Rp 394.8K

15.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$6.58 Rp 118.8K

190.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.11 Rp 56.1K

27.01%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

235.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,688 Rp 138.8M

-22.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$41.35 Rp 746.4K

45.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$31.15 Rp 562.3K

2.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$58.2 Rp 1.1M

74.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$63.6 Rp 1.1M

69.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$240 Rp 4.3M

97.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$154 Rp 2.8M

143.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$454 Rp 8.2M

87.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$246 Rp 4.4M

192.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$727 Rp 13.1M

349.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$308 Rp 5.6M

368.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$283 Rp 5.1M

120.83%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bandung: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $240 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 121% 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 $193 vs $213, 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 60% 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.

Average pay runs 121% 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 $240 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 10% 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 $628 in Bandung versus $1,003 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 $628 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 60% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.