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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $634 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $952 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,269 in Bandung.

Living in Medellin is roughly 63% more expensive than Bandung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.27 Rp 22.1K

366.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$9.29 Rp 161.1K

252.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.30 Rp 57.2K

118.18%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

13.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.49 Rp 8,409

124.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.25 Rp 4,308

188.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.45 Rp 59.7K

-51.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.61 Rp 62.6K

-14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.17 Rp 20.3K

-9.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.07 Rp 18.5K

16.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.88 Rp 15.3K

57.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

43.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.97 Rp 155.5K

-51.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.03 Rp 52.6K

92.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.81 Rp 135.4K

13.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.35 Rp 40.8K

-4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.27 Rp 22.1K

-14.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.71 Rp 29.6K

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.51 Rp 26.3K

-9.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.47 Rp 25.5K

-23.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.65 Rp 46.0K

-57.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.97 Rp 16.8K

-12.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.42 Rp 7,310

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.60 Rp 45.0K

-10.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$23.38 Rp 405.2K

-52.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.04 Rp 35.4K

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.41 Rp 59.1K

-30.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.30 Rp 5,160

163.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$10.52 Rp 182.4K

290.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.76 Rp 13.2K

89.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.76 Rp 13.2K

151.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.55 Rp 44.1K

214.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.79 Rp 13.8K

18.99%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$25.0K Rp 432.6M

-28.20%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$26.2K Rp 454.5M

2.16%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$43.66 Rp 756.7K

92.30%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.62 Rp 80.1K

107.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$23.01 Rp 398.9K

5.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$21.48 Rp 372.2K

20.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$6.32 Rp 109.5K

201.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.01 Rp 52.1K

30.23%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

233.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,439 Rp 128.9M

-20.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$42.16 Rp 730.7K

37.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.59 Rp 530.2K

4.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$59.3 Rp 1.0M

68.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$64.6 Rp 1.1M

65.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$238 Rp 4.1M

104.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$153 Rp 2.7M

140.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$455 Rp 7.9M

81.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$249 Rp 4.3M

188.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$755 Rp 13.1M

287.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$318 Rp 5.5M

342.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$287 Rp 5.0M

90.25%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bandung: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $238 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 90% 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 $214, 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 63% 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 90% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $238 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 $634 in Bandung versus $1,034 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 $634 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 63% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.