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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $754 in Bekasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,139 in Bekasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,523 in Bekasi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 33% more expensive than in Bekasi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bekasi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.09 Rp 55.7K

91.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$12.28 Rp 221.6K

168.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.42 Rp 61.7K

117.25%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.86 Rp 33.6K

-11.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.53 Rp 9,646

107.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.28 Rp 5,060

178.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.45 Rp 62.3K

-50.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.35 Rp 78.6K

-26.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.25 Rp 22.6K

-12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

8.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.03 Rp 18.6K

33.98%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.75 Rp 31.6K

24.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.90 Rp 160.8K

-49.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.09 Rp 55.7K

87.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.01 Rp 144.7K

11.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.80 Rp 50.5K

-17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.62 Rp 29.2K

-34.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.18 Rp 39.4K

-30.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

-13.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

-25.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.60 Rp 46.9K

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.42 Rp 7,632

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.58 Rp 46.5K

-13.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$21.91 Rp 395.6K

-44.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.03 Rp 36.7K

-41.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.18 Rp 57.3K

-22.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.36 Rp 6,430

136.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$12.46 Rp 224.9K

234.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

129.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.38 Rp 6,813

413.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

220.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

22.22%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$24.4K Rp 441.3M

-28.00%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$25.4K Rp 459.3M

5.34%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

26.44%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.93 Rp 88.9K

96.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$25.41 Rp 458.6K

-7.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$17.28 Rp 312.0K

46.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.48 Rp 80.9K

326.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.13 Rp 56.5K

26.20%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$97.8 Rp 1.8M

222.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,084 Rp 145.9M

-26.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$57.9 Rp 1.0M

3.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$33.25 Rp 600.3K

-4.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$83.3 Rp 1.5M

22.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$89.2 Rp 1.6M

20.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$311 Rp 5.6M

52.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$182 Rp 3.3M

105.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$551 Rp 9.9M

54.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$372 Rp 6.7M

93.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$593 Rp 10.7M

450.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$892 Rp 16.1M

61.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$355 Rp 6.4M

76.09%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bekasi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $311 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 76% 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 $193 vs $221, 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $754 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 76% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $311 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 $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $754 in Bekasi – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $754 in Bekasi versus $1,003 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 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.