Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Magelang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Magelang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $565 in Magelang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $875 in Magelang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,186 in Magelang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 83% more than Magelang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Magelang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Magelang 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

292.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$9.16 Rp 158.7K

257.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$2.95 Rp 51.1K

144.07%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

102.38%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.36 Rp 6,168

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.20 Rp 3,461

260.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

10.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.06 Rp 53.0K

1.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.16 Rp 20.1K

-8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.25 Rp 21.7K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.89 Rp 15.4K

56.18%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

49.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.40 Rp 128.3K

-41.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.66 Rp 46.0K

119.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.50 Rp 130.0K

17.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.17 Rp 37.6K

3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.24 Rp 21.5K

-12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

15.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.99 Rp 17.1K

38.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.11 Rp 19.3K

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.44 Rp 25.0K

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.87 Rp 15.2K

-2.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.36 Rp 6,304

152.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.44 Rp 42.3K

-4.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$17.12 Rp 296.8K

-34.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.65 Rp 28.7K

-27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.31 Rp 40.0K

2.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.32 Rp 5,612

146.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$9.77 Rp 169.3K

320.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.48 Rp 8,295

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.29 Rp 4,962

558.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.51 Rp 43.4K

219.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.83 Rp 14.4K

13.25%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$28.3K Rp 491.2M

-36.76%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$31.9K Rp 552.1M

-15.90%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$51.2 Rp 886.7K

64.11%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.25 Rp 73.7K

125.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$19.25 Rp 333.6K

25.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$15.02 Rp 260.3K

72.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$3.97 Rp 68.8K

379.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.80 Rp 48.5K

40.00%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$48.68 Rp 843.7K

529.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,385 Rp 76.0M

34.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$21.69 Rp 376.0K

166.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$21.92 Rp 379.9K

45.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$63.3 Rp 1.1M

57.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$57.6 Rp 998.5K

85.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$254 Rp 4.4M

91.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$157 Rp 2.7M

134.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$595 Rp 10.3M

38.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$339 Rp 5.9M

111.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,216 Rp 21.1M

140.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$777 Rp 13.5M

81.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$185 Rp 3.2M

194.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.33

61.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Magelang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $254 in Magelang. 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 195% 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 Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $181 – making Magelang 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 Magelang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $565 in Magelang – roughly 83% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $847 in Magelang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

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

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Magelang, where all-in costs run around $565, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Magelang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $565 in Magelang to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Magelang. 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.