Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gili Trawangan

For one person, living is cheaper in Gili Trawangan: $948 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Gili Trawangan
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$948
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Gili Trawangan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Gili Trawangan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,625 in Medellin versus $948 in Gili Trawangan.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Gili Trawangan $948

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,412 in Medellin versus $1,580 in Gili Trawangan.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Gili Trawangan $1,580

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Medellin versus $2,213 in Gili Trawangan.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Gili Trawangan $2,213

Living in Medellin is roughly 71% more expensive than in Gili Trawangan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Gili Trawangan is 30% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Gili Trawangan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$2.24 Rp 40.3K
270.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$23.76 Rp 427.7K
97.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$3.74 Rp 67.4K
147.06%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$1.83 Rp 32.9K
66.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$1.09 Rp 19.7K
65.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$0.55 Rp 9,840
150.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$1.76 Rp 31.7K
84.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$2.99 Rp 53.8K
85.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Gili Trawangan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$1.16 Rp 20.8K
29.31%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$1.75 Rp 31.6K
35.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$0.94 Rp 17.0K
80.85%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
80.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$13.01 Rp 234.2K
-21.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$2.99 Rp 53.9K
225.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$9.03 Rp 162.6K
53.93%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
52.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$1.16 Rp 20.8K
31.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$1.77 Rp 31.9K
25.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$1.45 Rp 26.2K
56.55%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$1.37 Rp 24.7K
45.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$1.76 Rp 31.7K
-5.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$0.74 Rp 13.4K
59.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.41 Rp 7,341
202.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$1.73 Rp 31.1K
123.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$17.33 Rp 311.9K
-20.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$1.75 Rp 31.6K
-5.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$2.22 Rp 40.0K
8.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Gili Trawangan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$0.21 Rp 3,778
490.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
$7.14 Rp 128.5K
995.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$0.40 Rp 7,268
220.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$0.37 Rp 6,649
481.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$5.09 Rp 91.6K
64.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$0.68 Rp 12.3K
98.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$20.6K Rp 370.8M
68.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$28.0K Rp 503.7M
23.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Gili Trawangan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$69.7 Rp 1.3M
139.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$5.49 Rp 98.9K
148.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$15.46 Rp 278.3K
88.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Gili Trawangan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$39.13 Rp 704.3K
15.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
$12.90 Rp 232.3K
33.18%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$3.09 Rp 55.6K
125.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Gili Trawangan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$347 Rp 6.3M
127.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$4,182 Rp 75.3M
116.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Gili Trawangan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$38.51 Rp 693.1K
127.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$30.37 Rp 546.7K
91.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$66.6 Rp 1.2M
108.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$67.8 Rp 1.2M
45.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Gili Trawangan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$677 Rp 12.2M
51.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$419 Rp 7.5M
47.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$2,150 Rp 38.7M
-12.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$1,042 Rp 18.8M
-3.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$1,665 Rp 30.0M
139.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$1,371 Rp 24.7M
24.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Gili Trawangan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
-
-
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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Gili Trawangan: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Gili Trawangan
$419 32.3% $200
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Gili Trawangan
$219 26.6% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Gili Trawangan
$91 56.7% $119
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Gili Trawangan
$92 47% $81
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Gili Trawangan
$72 57.6% $98
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Gili Trawangan
$10 89.3% $85
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Gili Trawangan
$45 23.3% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $677 in Gili Trawangan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Medellin vs $24.00 in Gili Trawangan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $219 per month, with Gili Trawangan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇮🇩 Gili Trawangan
🕒 Local time
22:50 10:50 PM
11:50 11:50 AM
13 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
1,500
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Gili Trawangan 18,710 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Gili Trawangan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Trawangan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gili Trawangan cheaper than Medellin?
Gili Trawangan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,437 in Medellin and $1,422 in Gili Trawangan 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.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Gili Trawangan?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,028 in Medellin versus $677 in Gili Trawangan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Gili Trawangan?
Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Gili Trawangan?
Dining out is cheaper in Gili Trawangan – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $47.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Gili Trawangan?
At $948 in Gili Trawangan versus $1,625 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gili Trawangan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Gili Trawangan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Gili Trawangan more family-friendly?
For families, Gili Trawangan 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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Gili Trawangan?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Gili Trawangan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Gili Trawangan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?