Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karawang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karawang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,555 per month in Medellin vs $445 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Medellin vs $803 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Medellin vs $1,161 in Karawang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 249% more than Karawang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 15% above the global median, while Karawang is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.7K

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

434.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 145.7K

$11.15 Rp 199.5K

301.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 30.1K

$3.41 Rp 61.0K

170.97%

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,591

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

104.86%

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

$1.80 COP 5,861

$0.40 Rp 7,234

350.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,391

$0.19 Rp 3,321

610.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,544

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

-5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 17.8K

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

80.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,663

$1.13 Rp 20.1K

26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,785

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

132.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,209

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

83.91%

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,364

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

94.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 31.6K

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

248.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 30.7K

$2.84 Rp 50.8K

232.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 43.1K

$7.81 Rp 139.8K

69.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.2K

$1.76 Rp 31.4K

113.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,703

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

34.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,829

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

65.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,930

$0.48 Rp 8,633

343.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,259

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

115.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,984

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

1.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,549

$0.68 Rp 12.2K

60.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,843

$0.42 Rp 7,569

180.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.3K

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

37.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 42.8K

$22.55 Rp 403.6K

-41.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,337

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

-12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,410

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

-30.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,825

$0.59 Rp 10.6K

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 239.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,157

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

50.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,434

$0.52 Rp 9,294

280.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.7K

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

598.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,211

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

61.25%

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

$26.8K COP 87.2M

$21.0K Rp 374.9M

27.80%

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

$34.7K COP 112.9M

$28.5K Rp 510.6M

21.57%

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

$158 COP 513.6K

$33.85 Rp 605.7K

366.20%

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

$13.39 COP 43.6K

$4.24 Rp 75.8K

215.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 88.8K

$12.59 Rp 225.2K

116.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 143.7K

$20.24 Rp 362.2K

118.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 52.0K

$8.43 Rp 150.8K

89.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 20.8K

$2.82 Rp 50.4K

126.60%

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

$777 COP 2.5M

$43.23 Rp 773.5K

1696.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 28.6M

$8,186 Rp 146.5M

7.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 269.2K

$16.40 Rp 293.5K

404.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 182.6K

$27.34 Rp 489.2K

105.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 425.7K

$48.10 Rp 860.6K

171.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 312.1K

$48.99 Rp 876.6K

95.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.3M

$137 Rp 2.5M

634.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

$69.2 Rp 1.2M

806.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 5.9M

$552 Rp 9.9M

230.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.2M

$367 Rp 6.6M

164.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.7M

$1,171 Rp 20.9M

233.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.1M

$606 Rp 10.9M

159.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

$401 Rp 7.2M

54.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.38

-3.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Karawang: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Medellin versus $137 in Karawang. 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 55% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Karawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $174 – making Karawang 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 Karawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 249% more than Karawang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,333 per month in Medellin and $668 in Karawang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karawang, 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 $1,555 in Medellin and $445 in Karawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $777 per month in Medellin and $43.23 in Karawang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $445, than in Medellin at $1,555. In Karawang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karawang costs $445 versus $1,555 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Karawang. 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.