Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $825 in Jakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,356 in Jakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,888 in Jakarta, rent included.

Medellin costs about 23% more than Jakarta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Jakarta are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Jakarta 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$2.99 Rp 53.9K

100.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$18.68 Rp 336.9K

75.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$3.64 Rp 65.6K

94.78%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$2.17 Rp 39.2K

-21.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.52 Rp 9,354

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.26 Rp 4,673

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$2.72 Rp 49.0K

-38.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.34 Rp 78.2K

-29.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

8.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$0.98 Rp 17.6K

40.82%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

20.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.57 Rp 118.5K

-33.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$3.23 Rp 58.2K

74.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$7.78 Rp 140.3K

14.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.83 Rp 51.0K

-17.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

-31.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

-7.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

-35.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$2.62 Rp 47.3K

-55.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

-13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.46 Rp 8,290

82.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$3.09 Rp 55.7K

-26.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$21.09 Rp 380.3K

-49.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$2.21 Rp 39.9K

-45.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$3.13 Rp 56.5K

-21.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.23 Rp 4,163

273.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$12.12 Rp 218.5K

241.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

153.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.34 Rp 6,206

476.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$3.05 Rp 55.0K

153.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.80 Rp 14.5K

18.75%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$31.3K Rp 564.2M

-42.04%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$32.6K Rp 588.7M

-18.86%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

-8.00%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$6.44 Rp 116.2K

47.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$27.04 Rp 487.6K

-10.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$29.82 Rp 537.8K

-13.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$12.45 Rp 224.5K

52.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.05 Rp 55.1K

28.85%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$167 Rp 3.0M

85.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$9,722 Rp 175.3M

-38.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$57.1 Rp 1.0M

2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$32.94 Rp 594.0K

-1.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

22.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$88.0 Rp 1.6M

23.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$385 Rp 6.9M

23.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$238 Rp 4.3M

58.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,152 Rp 20.8M

-27.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$646 Rp 11.7M

11.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,787 Rp 50.3M

0.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,422 Rp 25.6M

-14.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$453 Rp 8.2M

12.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.59

40.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $385 in Jakarta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Jakarta. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $215 in Jakarta – 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 Jakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 23% more than Jakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,237 in Jakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $167 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jakarta, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Jakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jakarta costs $825 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Jakarta. 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.