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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $653 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,019 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,385 in Binjai.

Living in Medellin is roughly 54% more expensive than in Binjai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Binjai 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

274.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$12.51 Rp 225.9K

163.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.47 Rp 62.6K

114.12%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.65 Rp 29.8K

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.55 Rp 10.0K

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.28 Rp 5,074

178.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.52 Rp 45.5K

-31.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.45 Rp 62.4K

-7.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

-5.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.12 Rp 20.3K

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

58.62%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.60 Rp 29.0K

36.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.16 Rp 147.3K

-44.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.25 Rp 58.7K

78.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.07 Rp 145.7K

11.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

-4.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

-29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.87 Rp 33.7K

-18.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

-8.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

-38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.45 Rp 8,081

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.47 Rp 44.6K

-9.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$21.96 Rp 396.5K

-44.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.02 Rp 36.5K

-41.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.08 Rp 55.6K

-19.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.29 Rp 5,319

193.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$10.06 Rp 181.6K

313.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

149.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.34 Rp 6,202

473.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

175.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

20.73%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$25.0K Rp 451.5M

-29.63%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.6K Rp 498.8M

-3.01%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$69.5 Rp 1.3M

19.40%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.37 Rp 78.9K

121.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$22.87 Rp 412.8K

2.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$23.23 Rp 419.3K

8.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$5.99 Rp 108.1K

218.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.08 Rp 55.6K

28.25%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

232.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,692 Rp 138.9M

-22.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$41.13 Rp 742.5K

45.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.39 Rp 548.7K

4.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$66.1 Rp 1.2M

53.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

45.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$253 Rp 4.6M

87.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$159 Rp 2.9M

135.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$581 Rp 10.5M

46.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$330 Rp 6.0M

117.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

219.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$715 Rp 12.9M

101.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Binjai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $253 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 $193 vs $211, 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 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $979 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: $475 in Medellin versus $253 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $653 in Binjai – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 314% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $653 in Binjai versus $1,003 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 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.