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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $523 in Banyuwangi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $806 in Banyuwangi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,089 in Banyuwangi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 94% more expensive than Banyuwangi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Banyuwangi 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

704.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$12.42 Rp 222.5K

168.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.02 Rp 54.2K

139.40%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

23.48%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.41 Rp 7,407

165.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.17 Rp 3,015

329.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

-24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.09 Rp 73.3K

-21.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.12 Rp 20.1K

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

84.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

59.04%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

160.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.91 Rp 70.0K

11.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

152.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.11 Rp 127.3K

21.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.23 Rp 39.9K

0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

69.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

90.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.09 Rp 19.6K

30.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

39.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.37 Rp 6,598

143.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.45 Rp 43.8K

-8.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.42 Rp 97.1K

103.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

-26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.53 Rp 45.4K

-5.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.30 Rp 5,345

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$10.00 Rp 179.2K

319.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.45 Rp 8,014

213.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.29 Rp 5,107

555.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

182.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

24.69%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.9K Rp 374.3M

-15.85%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.3K Rp 561.3M

-15.43%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$51.9 Rp 930.4K

61.14%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.18 Rp 74.9K

126.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$19.55 Rp 350.3K

23.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.85 Rp 409.4K

10.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.01 Rp 107.6K

218.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.01 Rp 36.0K

103.98%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$31.28 Rp 560.5K

897.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,242 Rp 22.2M

382.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$24.38 Rp 436.8K

138.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$12.44 Rp 222.9K

161.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$62.1 Rp 1.1M

60.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$30.20 Rp 541.1K

259.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$258 Rp 4.6M

86.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$155 Rp 2.8M

144.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$576 Rp 10.3M

45.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$328 Rp 5.9M

120.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,158 Rp 20.7M

145.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$676 Rp 12.1M

80.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$147 Rp 2.6M

266.72%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Banyuwangi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $258 in Banyuwangi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 267% 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 $129 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 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 267% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $258 in Banyuwangi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% 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 $523 in Banyuwangi versus $1,017 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 94% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.