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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $847 in Gili Air, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,486 in Gili Air, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,126 in Gili Air, rent included.

Medellin costs about 20% more than Gili Air, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Gili Air are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Gili Air 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

206.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$17.51 Rp 313.7K

90.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

174.90%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

10.14%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

55.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.40 Rp 7,213

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.07 Rp 37.1K

56.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.24 Rp 22.2K

-15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

-29.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

53.49%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.77 Rp 31.7K

28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.58 Rp 189.5K

-58.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.12 Rp 55.9K

88.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.63 Rp 154.7K

-0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.63 Rp 47.2K

-14.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

-2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

-23.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

-11.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

-17.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.65 Rp 29.6K

-29.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

25.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.52 Rp 9,239

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$16.39 Rp 293.6K

-32.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.98 Rp 35.5K

-42.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.02 Rp 36.2K

17.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.21 Rp 3,752

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$6.72 Rp 120.4K

524.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.37 Rp 6,610

281.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.37 Rp 6,548

413.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.87 Rp 87.2K

59.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.68 Rp 12.1K

48.53%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.8K Rp 372.1M

-15.35%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$25.5K Rp 457.2M

3.82%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$63.4 Rp 1.1M

31.97%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.20 Rp 57.4K

195.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$19.44 Rp 348.3K

24.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$55.8 Rp 999.2K

-54.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

397.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

76.72%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$202 Rp 3.6M

54.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,454 Rp 79.8M

34.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$44.23 Rp 792.4K

31.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$31.05 Rp 556.3K

4.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

38.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

73.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$478 Rp 8.6M

0.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$320 Rp 5.7M

18.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,597 Rp 28.6M

-47.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$973 Rp 17.4M

-25.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,323 Rp 23.7M

114.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,060 Rp 19.0M

15.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.28

1.13%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Gili Air: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $478 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Gili Air. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $213 in Gili Air – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 20%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,270 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $847 in Gili Air. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 524% 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 $847, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.