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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $656 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,018 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,380 in Binjai.

Living in Medellin is roughly 57% more expensive than Binjai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Binjai 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

277.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$12.22 Rp 211.8K

168.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

107.49%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.67 Rp 28.9K

1.80%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.52 Rp 8,991

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.26 Rp 4,492

176.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.51 Rp 43.6K

-33.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.56 Rp 61.6K

-12.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

-13.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.13 Rp 19.6K

10.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.88 Rp 15.2K

57.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.53 Rp 26.4K

47.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.10 Rp 140.5K

-46.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.14 Rp 54.4K

85.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.11 Rp 140.5K

8.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.36 Rp 40.9K

-5.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.45 Rp 25.1K

-25.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.82 Rp 31.5K

-15.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.56 Rp 27.0K

-12.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

-16.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.94 Rp 33.6K

-42.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.92 Rp 15.9K

-7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.45 Rp 7,726

102.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.51 Rp 43.4K

-7.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$20.98 Rp 363.6K

-46.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.01 Rp 34.9K

-40.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.08 Rp 53.3K

-23.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.32 Rp 5,576

146.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$9.64 Rp 167.1K

326.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.57 Rp 9,952

152.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.34 Rp 5,942

461.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.95 Rp 51.2K

171.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

11.90%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$24.9K Rp 432.0M

-28.10%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.7K Rp 480.8M

-3.42%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$70.9 Rp 1.2M

18.42%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.37 Rp 75.7K

119.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.73 Rp 394.0K

6.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$22.86 Rp 396.3K

13.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$6.12 Rp 106.0K

211.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.04 Rp 52.7K

28.95%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$94.8 Rp 1.6M

223.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,443 Rp 129.0M

-20.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$41.01 Rp 710.7K

41.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.78 Rp 533.4K

3.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$66.6 Rp 1.2M

49.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

46.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$255 Rp 4.4M

90.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$158 Rp 2.7M

133.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$575 Rp 10.0M

43.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$329 Rp 5.7M

117.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,258 Rp 21.8M

132.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$858 Rp 14.9M

63.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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 Binjai: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $255 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Binjai. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $208, 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 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $985 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: $487 in Medellin versus $255 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $656 in Binjai – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 327% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $656 in Binjai versus $1,034 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 57% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.