Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gili Air Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gili Air

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,618 per month in Medellin vs $825 in Gili Air, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,460 per month in Medellin vs $1,366 in Gili Air, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,302 per month in Medellin vs $1,907 in Gili Air, rent included.

Medellin costs about 96% more than Gili Air, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Gili Air is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.2K

$1.78 Rp 31.8K

332.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 COP 136.5K

$20.41 Rp 365.5K

112.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.0K

$2.91 Rp 52.1K

226.46%

Cappuccino

$2.81 COP 8,857

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

99.29%

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

$1.84 COP 5,786

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

106.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,751

$0.39 Rp 6,940

287.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 COP 9,723

$1.44 Rp 25.7K

113.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 COP 17.3K

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

148.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,238

$1.12 Rp 20.1K

19.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 COP 7,268

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

42.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,632

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

98.65%

Eggs

$2.69 COP 8,473

$1.49 Rp 26.6K

80.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 COP 28.0K

$12.60 Rp 225.7K

-29.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 COP 33.5K

$2.83 Rp 50.7K

275.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 COP 45.6K

$8.57 Rp 153.4K

68.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$2.61 Rp 46.7K

43.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,372

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

20.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,005

$1.66 Rp 29.8K

33.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 COP 6,243

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

45.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,478

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

61.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,044

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

1.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,284

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

42.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 COP 4,000

$0.37 Rp 6,614

243.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

138.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 COP 41.3K

$16.71 Rp 299.3K

-21.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,970

$1.69 Rp 30.2K

-6.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 COP 9,518

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

55.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,682

$0.22 Rp 3,935

431.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 239.5K

$6.72 Rp 120.3K

1030.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,738

$0.36 Rp 6,381

316.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.38 Rp 6,731

450.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 COP 25.5K

$4.83 Rp 86.5K

67.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 3,980

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

96.88%

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

$26.9K COP 84.8M

$19.4K Rp 347.5M

38.63%

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

$34.9K COP 110.0M

$25.1K Rp 449.1M

39.08%

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

$148 COP 467.6K

$66.1 Rp 1.2M

124.30%

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

$13.03 COP 41.1K

$5.05 Rp 90.5K

158.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.48 COP 99.2K

$14.94 Rp 267.5K

110.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 COP 143.4K

$32.28 Rp 578.0K

40.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 COP 53.6K

$10.73 Rp 192.1K

58.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 COP 19.9K

$2.50 Rp 44.7K

152.80%

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

$837 COP 2.6M

$328 Rp 5.9M

154.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 27.3M

$3,952 Rp 70.8M

119.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 279.9K

$36.33 Rp 650.6K

144.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 COP 173.2K

$28.07 Rp 502.8K

95.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 423.9K

$64.2 Rp 1.1M

109.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 341.5K

$64.2 Rp 1.1M

68.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 COP 3.0M

$532 Rp 9.5M

76.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.0M

$323 Rp 5.8M

99.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.1M

$1,730 Rp 31.0M

12.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.5M

$816 Rp 14.6M

37.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.5M

$1,350 Rp 24.2M

169.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 4.9M

$1,066 Rp 19.1M

45.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

13.78

-24.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Last update for Gili Air: August 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Medellin versus $532 in Gili Air. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Gili Air. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $208 – making Gili Air the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Gili Air: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 96%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,427 per month in Medellin and $1,238 in Gili Air. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gili Air, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,618 in Medellin and $825 in Gili Air. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1030% less in Gili Air. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gili Air, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Medellin at $1,618. In Gili Air it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gili Air – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gili Air. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.