Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Banyuwangi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Banyuwangi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $507 in Banyuwangi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $794 in Banyuwangi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,081 in Banyuwangi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 104% more expensive than Banyuwangi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Banyuwangi 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$0.75 Rp 12.9K

689.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$12.47 Rp 216.1K

162.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.10 Rp 53.7K

132.26%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.39 Rp 24.0K

22.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.41 Rp 7,126

168.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.20 Rp 3,485

260.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.26 Rp 39.2K

-26.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.01 Rp 69.5K

-22.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.14 Rp 19.8K

-7.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.70 Rp 12.1K

78.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.88 Rp 15.3K

57.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$0.90 Rp 15.7K

151.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$3.98 Rp 69.0K

8.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.28 Rp 39.5K

156.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.88 Rp 119.2K

28.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.17 Rp 37.6K

3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.59 Rp 10.2K

83.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.80 Rp 13.9K

91.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.09 Rp 18.8K

25.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.89 Rp 15.5K

26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.02 Rp 17.7K

9.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.59 Rp 10.2K

44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.39 Rp 6,823

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.46 Rp 42.6K

-5.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.68 Rp 98.5K

95.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.50 Rp 25.9K

-20.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.50 Rp 43.4K

-5.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.32 Rp 5,624

146.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$9.91 Rp 171.8K

315.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.47 Rp 8,226

206.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.29 Rp 5,000

558.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.84 Rp 49.3K

182.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.81 Rp 14.0K

16.05%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.9K Rp 362.9M

-14.40%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$30.8K Rp 534.1M

-13.06%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$50.8 Rp 880.6K

65.24%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.15 Rp 71.9K

131.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$19.47 Rp 337.5K

24.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$22.94 Rp 397.7K

12.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$6.06 Rp 105.1K

214.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.03 Rp 35.2K

93.10%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$30.42 Rp 527.3K

907.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,223 Rp 21.2M

384.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$24.37 Rp 422.4K

137.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$12.15 Rp 210.6K

161.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.7 Rp 1.1M

61.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$30.78 Rp 533.5K

248.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$264 Rp 4.6M

84.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$158 Rp 2.7M

132.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$584 Rp 10.1M

41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$329 Rp 5.7M

117.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,213 Rp 21.0M

141.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$759 Rp 13.1M

85.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$156 Rp 2.7M

249.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.84

96.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Banyuwangi: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $264 in Banyuwangi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 249% 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 $12.00 in Banyuwangi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $128 per month, with Banyuwangi cheaper across the board.

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 Banyuwangi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Banyuwangi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 249% 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 $264 in Banyuwangi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Banyuwangi – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $507 in Banyuwangi versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Banyuwangi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Banyuwangi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Banyuwangi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Banyuwangi 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 Banyuwangi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.