Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Batam Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Batam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $660 in Batam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,103 in Batam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,546 in Batam.

Living in Medellin is roughly 56% more expensive than in Batam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Batam 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.79 Rp 50.1K

120.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$9.30 Rp 167.2K

250.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.54 Rp 63.5K

107.34%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

-22.17%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.33 Rp 24.0K

-21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.41 Rp 7,356

87.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.80 Rp 50.4K

-39.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.02 Rp 72.3K

-21.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

-13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

7.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

64.71%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

58.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

-45.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.66 Rp 47.7K

121.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.82 Rp 86.7K

79.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.38 Rp 42.7K

-4.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.26 Rp 40.6K

-50.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

-29.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

22.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

-47.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

-41.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.40 Rp 7,100

127.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

-11.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.68 Rp 245.8K

-9.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.97 Rp 35.5K

-39.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.64 Rp 47.4K

-5.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.47 Rp 8,417

78.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$16.91 Rp 303.8K

139.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

12.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

195.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.72 Rp 66.9K

105.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

19.28%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$29.7K Rp 533.1M

-39.22%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.2K Rp 344.2M

39.04%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

3.91%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.96 Rp 71.2K

151.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$25.92 Rp 465.8K

-6.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$30.33 Rp 545.1K

-17.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$8.04 Rp 144.6K

138.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.08 Rp 55.4K

29.22%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$93.3 Rp 1.7M

227.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,643 Rp 65.5M

66.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$35.31 Rp 634.6K

64.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$20.55 Rp 369.3K

56.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$72.4 Rp 1.3M

39.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$26.40 Rp 474.4K

308.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$294 Rp 5.3M

61.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$166 Rp 3.0M

126.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$890 Rp 16.0M

-5.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$560 Rp 10.1M

30.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$550 Rp 9.9M

484.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$334 Rp 6.0M

84.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.88

-3.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Batam: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $294 in Batam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 85% 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 Batam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $185 per month, with Batam 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 Batam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Batam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 85% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $294 in Batam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Batam runs roughly 140% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $93.3 in Batam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $660 in Batam versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Batam but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Batam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Batam 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.

Expats usually find Batam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.