Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bekasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bekasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $664 in Bekasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,081 in Bekasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,498 in Bekasi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 153% more expensive than in Bekasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Bekasi is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

219.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$14.25 Rp 252.3K

235.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.34 Rp 59.2K

196.11%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

100.64%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.42 Rp 7,443

354.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.25 Rp 4,431

504.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

17.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.89 Rp 68.8K

47.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

116.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.92 Rp 16.3K

92.39%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

77.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.71 Rp 172.0K

3.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.02 Rp 53.4K

235.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.85 Rp 138.9K

82.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

45.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.42 Rp 25.2K

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

-15.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

63.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.41 Rp 24.9K

44.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.13 Rp 37.8K

-27.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.93 Rp 16.4K

25.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.45 Rp 7,967

191.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.68 Rp 47.5K

45.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$22.26 Rp 394.2K

-37.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.02 Rp 35.8K

-13.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.18 Rp 56.3K

-9.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.35 Rp 6,268

248.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$11.36 Rp 201.2K

608.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

52.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.45 Rp 7,938

386.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

273.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

77.92%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.3K Rp 377.1M

30.70%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$33.2K Rp 588.2M

7.70%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$64.9 Rp 1.1M

173.40%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$6.07 Rp 107.5K

128.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$19.54 Rp 345.9K

52.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$16.16 Rp 286.1K

177.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$6.31 Rp 111.8K

171.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.47 Rp 61.5K

91.64%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$132 Rp 2.3M

513.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$8,275 Rp 146.5M

11.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$59.7 Rp 1.1M

49.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$32.87 Rp 582.1K

79.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$77.0 Rp 1.4M

79.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

7.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$204 Rp 3.6M

419.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$133 Rp 2.4M

397.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$469 Rp 8.3M

302.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$363 Rp 6.4M

182.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$596 Rp 10.5M

602.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$911 Rp 16.1M

83.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$372 Rp 6.6M

82.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.46

15.64%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bekasi: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $204 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 82% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $14.00 in Bekasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $220 per month, with Bekasi 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 Bekasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Bekasi differ by about 153% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $664 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 82% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $204 in Bekasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bekasi – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $664 in Bekasi – a 153% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $664 in Bekasi versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bekasi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bekasi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bekasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 153% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.