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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $505 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $770 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,035 in Karawang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 101% more than Karawang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Karawang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Karawang 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

353.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$9.36 Rp 167.2K

251.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.46 Rp 61.9K

104.91%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

13.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.48 Rp 8,620

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.22 Rp 3,908

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.44 Rp 61.5K

-51.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.49 Rp 62.4K

-12.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.11 Rp 19.9K

13.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

58.62%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

42.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.16 Rp 56.4K

39.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.08 Rp 55.1K

82.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.05 Rp 143.8K

10.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.02 Rp 36.0K

15.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

-10.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

6.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

146.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

11.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-32.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

-6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.42 Rp 7,506

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

-12.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$22.68 Rp 405.0K

-53.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.12 Rp 37.9K

-43.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.49 Rp 62.3K

-29.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$9.98 Rp 178.2K

314.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

96.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

154.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

539.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

20.25%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$24.6K Rp 440.0M

-26.42%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$25.9K Rp 462.7M

2.22%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$44.78 Rp 799.8K

83.68%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$4.48 Rp 79.9K

112.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$13.90 Rp 248.3K

74.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$22.30 Rp 398.2K

16.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$15.20 Rp 271.4K

25.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.08 Rp 55.1K

27.60%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$47.81 Rp 853.7K

547.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,547 Rp 134.8M

-20.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$18.26 Rp 326.1K

221.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$31.31 Rp 559.1K

3.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$54.2 Rp 968.3K

89.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$53.0 Rp 945.6K

104.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$156 Rp 2.8M

205.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

386.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$250 Rp 4.5M

235.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$122 Rp 2.2M

491.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,161 Rp 20.7M

140.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$685 Rp 12.2M

76.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$408 Rp 7.3M

25.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.15

46.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Karawang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $156 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 26% 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 $9.00 in Karawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $186 – 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 101% more than Karawang, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $757 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $9.00 in Karawang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $505 in Karawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $505, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $505 versus $1,013 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.