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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $840 in Jakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,379 in Jakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,919 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 23% lower, Jakarta 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.11 Rp 56.0K

98.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.11 Rp 325.4K

80.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.46 Rp 62.3K

112.14%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.10 Rp 37.8K

-18.10%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.55 Rp 9,908

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.28 Rp 5,086

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.21 Rp 75.7K

-24.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

12.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

47.37%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.49 Rp 116.7K

-32.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

82.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.55 Rp 135.7K

14.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

-22.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

-31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.27 Rp 40.8K

-32.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

-13.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

-36.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

-56.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

-19.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.46 Rp 8,284

97.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

-21.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$20.56 Rp 369.5K

-39.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

-45.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.24 Rp 58.3K

-23.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.21 Rp 3,760

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$12.21 Rp 219.4K

232.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.54 Rp 9,622

162.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.37 Rp 6,681

418.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

145.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

23.75%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$30.2K Rp 542.7M

-40.30%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$32.7K Rp 588.0M

-18.62%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

-9.63%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$6.51 Rp 116.9K

52.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$27.21 Rp 488.9K

-11.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$29.97 Rp 538.6K

-16.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$12.61 Rp 226.7K

51.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

28.39%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$166 Rp 3.0M

83.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,566 Rp 171.9M

-36.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$33.85 Rp 608.2K

-4.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

22.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

19.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$381 Rp 6.8M

25.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$236 Rp 4.2M

59.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,152 Rp 20.7M

-26.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$660 Rp 11.9M

10.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,958 Rp 53.2M

8.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,431 Rp 25.7M

-4.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$421 Rp 7.6M

46.41%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $381 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 46% 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 $18.00 in Jakarta. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $214 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,260 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 $305 per month in Medellin and $166 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% 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 $840, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $840 versus $1,031 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.