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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $744 in Bekasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,141 in Bekasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,539 in Bekasi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 38% more expensive than Bekasi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bekasi 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.04 Rp 53.9K

97.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$12.21 Rp 216.3K

168.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$3.42 Rp 60.5K

116.96%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

-14.06%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.52 Rp 9,237

105.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.26 Rp 4,592

192.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$3.45 Rp 61.0K

-50.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.41 Rp 78.1K

-27.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.15 Rp 20.5K

13.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

41.05%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

26.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$9.24 Rp 163.7K

-52.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.18 Rp 56.4K

78.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$7.76 Rp 137.5K

9.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.91 Rp 51.6K

-19.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

-28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

-32.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

-13.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.48 Rp 26.2K

-22.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.61 Rp 46.2K

-54.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.02 Rp 18.1K

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.42 Rp 7,429

104.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

-12.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$22.92 Rp 406.0K

-49.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.10 Rp 37.2K

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$3.22 Rp 57.0K

-22.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.36 Rp 6,347

119.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$12.08 Rp 213.9K

238.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.59 Rp 10.5K

149.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.37 Rp 6,622

418.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$2.54 Rp 45.0K

205.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

24.69%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$24.7K Rp 438.1M

-28.60%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$25.7K Rp 455.0M

3.00%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

23.42%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$4.91 Rp 86.9K

92.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$25.82 Rp 457.4K

-7.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$17.21 Rp 304.8K

51.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$4.52 Rp 80.1K

313.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

29.84%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$98.3 Rp 1.7M

220.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$8,038 Rp 142.4M

-25.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$56.1 Rp 993.5K

6.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$33.28 Rp 589.6K

-3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$84.0 Rp 1.5M

20.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$89.1 Rp 1.6M

18.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$302 Rp 5.4M

60.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$186 Rp 3.3M

96.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$563 Rp 10.0M

46.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$379 Rp 6.7M

92.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$595 Rp 10.5M

402.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$923 Rp 16.4M

42.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$369 Rp 6.5M

49.46%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bekasi: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $302 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 49% 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 Bekasi. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $224, 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 Bekasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Bekasi differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,028 vs $744 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 49% 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: $485 in Medellin versus $302 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 $12.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $744 in Bekasi – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $744 in Bekasi versus $1,028 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 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.