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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $537 in Magelang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $837 in Magelang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,137 in Magelang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 213% more than Magelang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Magelang is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

481.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$8.25 Rp 146.1K

480.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$2.73 Rp 48.3K

262.27%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

306.49%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.35 Rp 6,229

445.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.18 Rp 3,214

738.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

126.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.76 Rp 48.8K

108.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.06 Rp 18.8K

35.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

114.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

118.52%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

144.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.73 Rp 119.2K

49.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.41 Rp 42.7K

319.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.03 Rp 124.4K

103.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

103.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

41.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

73.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.00 Rp 17.7K

104.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

51.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.37 Rp 6,496

254.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$17.10 Rp 302.7K

-18.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.52 Rp 26.8K

14.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

30.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.29 Rp 5,177

320.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$8.70 Rp 154.1K

825.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.46 Rp 8,164

184.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.35 Rp 6,219

525.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

278.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.71 Rp 12.5K

92.96%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$25.7K Rp 455.8M

8.14%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$29.6K Rp 524.1M

20.85%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$46.91 Rp 830.6K

277.96%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$4.00 Rp 70.9K

247.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$19.93 Rp 352.9K

49.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$13.84 Rp 245.1K

224.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$3.77 Rp 66.8K

354.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$2.52 Rp 44.6K

163.89%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$45.71 Rp 809.3K

1678.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,913 Rp 69.3M

134.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$20.17 Rp 357.1K

343.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$20.11 Rp 356.1K

193.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$57.9 Rp 1.0M

138.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$54.6 Rp 966.4K

87.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$232 Rp 4.1M

358.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$158 Rp 2.8M

320.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$568 Rp 10.1M

232.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$373 Rp 6.6M

175.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,201 Rp 21.3M

248.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$664 Rp 11.8M

152.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$178 Rp 3.2M

279.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.5

45.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Magelang: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $232 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 280% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $8.00 in Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $170 – 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: $1,681 in Medellin, $537 in Magelang – roughly 213% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $806 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 79% 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $8.00 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 $537, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $537 in Magelang to $1,681 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.