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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $573 in Magelang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $882 in Magelang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,192 in Magelang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 75% more than Magelang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Magelang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Magelang 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

294.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$9.49 Rp 171.3K

247.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$2.85 Rp 51.5K

160.70%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.87 Rp 15.8K

89.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.38 Rp 6,872

189.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.20 Rp 3,637

290.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

14.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.98 Rp 53.8K

6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.14 Rp 20.7K

-3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.22 Rp 22.0K

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

66.27%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.45 Rp 26.1K

50.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.17 Rp 129.5K

-37.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.51 Rp 45.2K

130.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.75 Rp 140.0K

15.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.19 Rp 39.5K

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.29 Rp 23.3K

-17.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

9.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

-18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.37 Rp 6,630

143.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.48 Rp 44.7K

-10.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$16.35 Rp 295.2K

-25.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.29 Rp 41.3K

8.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.30 Rp 5,402

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$10.04 Rp 181.2K

314.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.44 Rp 7,994

222.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.31 Rp 5,661

529.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.51 Rp 45.3K

214.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

28.57%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$28.1K Rp 507.0M

-37.33%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

-16.49%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$50.7 Rp 914.5K

63.86%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.20 Rp 75.8K

130.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$19.83 Rp 357.9K

18.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$15.27 Rp 275.6K

65.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$3.93 Rp 71.0K

386.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.73 Rp 49.3K

44.69%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$49.98 Rp 902.3K

531.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,352 Rp 78.6M

37.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$21.29 Rp 384.3K

181.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$21.69 Rp 391.6K

46.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$63.7 Rp 1.1M

59.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$57.6 Rp 1.0M

86.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$262 Rp 4.7M

81.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$155 Rp 2.8M

140.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$579 Rp 10.4M

46.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$330 Rp 6.0M

117.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,132 Rp 20.4M

188.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$682 Rp 12.3M

111.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$171 Rp 3.1M

266.10%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Magelang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $262 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 266% 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: $193 vs $179 – 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $573 in Magelang – roughly 75% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $860 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 8% 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 $573, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $573 in Magelang to $1,003 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.