Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Denpasar, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Denpasar, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $937 in Denpasar, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,548 in Denpasar, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $2,159 in Denpasar, Bali.

Living in Medellin is roughly 75% more expensive than in Denpasar, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Denpasar, Bali is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$2.32 Rp 40.9K

246.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$24.34 Rp 428.6K

98.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$3.78 Rp 66.5K

149.21%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.83 Rp 32.3K

60.66%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.16 Rp 20.4K

60.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.51 Rp 8,928

186.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.03 Rp 35.8K

58.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.98 Rp 52.5K

91.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.25 Rp 22.0K

15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.87 Rp 32.8K

28.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.90 Rp 15.8K

88.89%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.69 Rp 29.7K

71.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$14.72 Rp 259.1K

-31.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.29 Rp 58.0K

203.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$9.82 Rp 172.9K

44.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.99 Rp 52.6K

33.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

26.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.86 Rp 32.7K

15.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.65 Rp 29.0K

39.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.54 Rp 27.1K

29.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.98 Rp 34.9K

-23.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.41 Rp 7,269

212.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

112.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$18.84 Rp 331.7K

-25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.97 Rp 34.6K

-13.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.38 Rp 41.9K

15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.22 Rp 3,860

468.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$7.67 Rp 135.0K

915.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.43 Rp 7,626

204.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.43 Rp 7,526

404.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$3.04 Rp 53.5K

172.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.68 Rp 11.9K

100.00%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$21.8K Rp 384.4M

25.82%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$28.5K Rp 502.6M

28.00%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$75.7 Rp 1.3M

122.76%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$5.84 Rp 102.9K

132.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$17.30 Rp 304.5K

63.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$39.41 Rp 693.9K

15.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$12.91 Rp 227.4K

33.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$3.09 Rp 54.4K

115.21%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$383 Rp 6.7M

109.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$4,468 Rp 78.7M

105.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$39.69 Rp 698.7K

120.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$31.07 Rp 547.0K

91.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$69.4 Rp 1.2M

100.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

49.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$591 Rp 10.4M

81.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$361 Rp 6.4M

81.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,858 Rp 32.7M

3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$906 Rp 15.9M

15.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,463 Rp 25.8M

181.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,200 Rp 21.1M

41.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$279 Rp 4.9M

134.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.78

-20.61%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $591 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 135% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $24.00 in Denpasar, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $239 per month, with Denpasar, Bali cheaper across the board.

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 Denpasar, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Denpasar, Bali differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $937 including rent). Denpasar, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 135% 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $591 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $937 in Denpasar, Bali – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Denpasar, Bali runs roughly 916% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $937 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Denpasar, Bali but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Denpasar, Bali 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Denpasar, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Denpasar, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.