Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Binjai Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Binjai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $674 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,018 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,363 in Binjai.

Living in Medellin is roughly 51% more expensive than Binjai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Binjai 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

288.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$12.52 Rp 224.3K

166.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.39 Rp 60.8K

113.27%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

-2.40%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.55 Rp 9,916

98.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.28 Rp 5,036

160.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.51 Rp 45.0K

-30.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.51 Rp 62.9K

-7.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.23 Rp 22.1K

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

48.31%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

50.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.34 Rp 149.5K

-47.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.25 Rp 58.3K

80.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.93 Rp 142.1K

8.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

-5.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

-26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.89 Rp 33.9K

-19.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

-5.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-11.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

-37.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.91 Rp 16.2K

-2.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.41 Rp 7,380

119.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.52 Rp 45.2K

-10.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$20.24 Rp 362.6K

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.08 Rp 37.3K

-45.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.06 Rp 54.8K

-22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.29 Rp 5,278

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$9.98 Rp 178.8K

320.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

151.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.35 Rp 6,252

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.97 Rp 53.1K

160.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

21.69%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$24.4K Rp 437.2M

-27.96%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.8K Rp 497.3M

-4.54%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

21.91%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

118.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$22.56 Rp 404.3K

6.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.96 Rp 411.4K

10.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.13 Rp 109.9K

212.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

30.99%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

227.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,473 Rp 133.9M

-19.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$40.89 Rp 732.6K

41.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$30.93 Rp 554.2K

5.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$66.8 Rp 1.2M

49.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

49.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$258 Rp 4.6M

87.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$160 Rp 2.9M

137.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$577 Rp 10.3M

45.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$339 Rp 6.1M

113.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,189 Rp 21.3M

138.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$611 Rp 10.9M

100.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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 8, 2026

Last update for Binjai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $258 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $13.00 in Binjai. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $207, 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 Binjai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,011 in Binjai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $258 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $674 in Binjai – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 320% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $674 in Binjai versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Binjai but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Binjai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Binjai 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 Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.