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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $759 in Bekasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,144 in Bekasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,528 in Bekasi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 36% more expensive than Bekasi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bekasi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.16 Rp 54.7K

87.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$12.18 Rp 211.0K

168.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.29 Rp 57.0K

118.84%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.85 Rp 32.1K

-8.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.49 Rp 8,515

124.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.26 Rp 4,460

176.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.46 Rp 59.9K

-51.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.27 Rp 74.0K

-27.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.27 Rp 22.1K

-16.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.14 Rp 19.8K

9.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.03 Rp 17.9K

34.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

29.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.15 Rp 158.5K

-52.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.08 Rp 53.3K

89.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.00 Rp 138.7K

10.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.81 Rp 48.6K

-20.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.54 Rp 26.8K

-29.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.29 Rp 39.6K

-33.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.57 Rp 27.3K

-12.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.55 Rp 26.8K

-27.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.69 Rp 46.6K

-58.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.06 Rp 18.4K

-19.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.42 Rp 7,363

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.57 Rp 44.6K

-9.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$23.26 Rp 403.2K

-52.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.13 Rp 36.9K

-44.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.24 Rp 56.2K

-26.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.38 Rp 6,660

107.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$12.12 Rp 210.0K

239.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.63 Rp 10.8K

128.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.37 Rp 6,485

416.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.57 Rp 44.5K

212.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.82 Rp 14.1K

14.63%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$24.3K Rp 420.4M

-26.12%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$26.2K Rp 453.6M

2.36%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$64.2 Rp 1.1M

30.82%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.75 Rp 82.3K

102.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.06 Rp 451.7K

-7.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$17.46 Rp 302.7K

48.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.50 Rp 78.0K

323.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.02 Rp 52.3K

29.80%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$97.6 Rp 1.7M

213.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,217 Rp 142.4M

-27.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$57.9 Rp 1.0M

0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$33.80 Rp 585.9K

-5.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$81.7 Rp 1.4M

22.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$90.2 Rp 1.6M

18.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$313 Rp 5.4M

55.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$183 Rp 3.2M

100.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$557 Rp 9.6M

48.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$380 Rp 6.6M

88.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$603 Rp 10.5M

384.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$940 Rp 16.3M

49.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$385 Rp 6.7M

41.61%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bekasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $313 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 42% 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 $225, 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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $759 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 42% 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 $313 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 $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $759 in Bekasi – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $759 in Bekasi versus $1,034 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 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.