Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cimahi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cimahi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $637 in Cimahi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $974 in Cimahi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,312 in Cimahi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 62% more expensive than Cimahi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Cimahi 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.26 Rp 21.9K

369.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$8.97 Rp 155.5K

265.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.34 Rp 57.8K

115.57%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.52 Rp 26.3K

11.84%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.53 Rp 9,116

107.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.27 Rp 4,708

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.79 Rp 48.3K

-40.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.43 Rp 59.5K

-9.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.21 Rp 21.0K

-12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.12 Rp 19.5K

11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.93 Rp 16.2K

49.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.54 Rp 26.8K

46.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.63 Rp 114.9K

-34.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.12 Rp 54.1K

87.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.55 Rp 130.9K

16.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.37 Rp 41.1K

-5.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.29 Rp 22.4K

-16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.65 Rp 28.6K

-7.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.52 Rp 26.3K

-9.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.46 Rp 25.3K

-22.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.55 Rp 44.2K

-56.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.95 Rp 16.5K

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.42 Rp 7,336

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.59 Rp 44.9K

-10.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$22.54 Rp 390.7K

-50.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.04 Rp 35.3K

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.22 Rp 55.8K

-26.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.32 Rp 5,626

146.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$9.63 Rp 167.0K

327.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.54 Rp 9,291

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.35 Rp 6,065

445.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.59 Rp 44.9K

209.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.78 Rp 13.5K

20.51%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$24.4K Rp 423.3M

-26.62%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.5K Rp 441.5M

5.17%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$44.37 Rp 769.0K

89.23%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.63 Rp 80.2K

107.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$23.04 Rp 399.4K

4.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$23.43 Rp 406.1K

10.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.97 Rp 103.5K

218.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.09 Rp 53.6K

26.86%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$93.7 Rp 1.6M

227.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,730 Rp 134.0M

-23.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$41.59 Rp 720.9K

39.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.49 Rp 528.4K

4.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$59.7 Rp 1.0M

67.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$65.3 Rp 1.1M

64.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$262 Rp 4.5M

85.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$157 Rp 2.7M

134.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$591 Rp 10.2M

39.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$340 Rp 5.9M

110.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$266 Rp 4.6M

105.45%

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 Cimahi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $262 in Cimahi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 105% 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 $9.00 in Cimahi. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $205, 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 Cimahi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cimahi wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cimahi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 105% 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 $262 in Cimahi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $93.7 in Cimahi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $637 in Cimahi versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cimahi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cimahi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cimahi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $637 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cimahi hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Cimahi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.