Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Makassar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Makassar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $662 in Makassar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,005 in Makassar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,347 in Makassar.

Living in Medellin is roughly 53% more expensive than Makassar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Makassar 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

91.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$9.45 Rp 168.8K

247.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

137.92%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-1.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

54.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.39 Rp 6,976

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.67 Rp 65.5K

-54.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.72 Rp 66.4K

-17.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

-33.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.09 Rp 19.4K

15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

115.62%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

52.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.49 Rp 98.0K

-19.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.77 Rp 49.5K

103.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$4.36 Rp 77.8K

103.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.29 Rp 40.9K

2.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.64 Rp 29.3K

-35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.85 Rp 33.0K

-18.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.57 Rp 28.0K

-12.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.26 Rp 22.5K

-8.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

-25.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.41 Rp 7,381

117.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.47 Rp 8,440

78.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.56 Rp 45.8K

-10.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$22.53 Rp 402.4K

-52.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.10 Rp 37.4K

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

-0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.32 Rp 5,720

168.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$4.51 Rp 80.5K

817.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

162.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.29 Rp 5,115

575.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.03 Rp 54.1K

155.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

21.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$16.8K Rp 299.6M

8.07%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$18.7K Rp 334.7M

41.33%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$66.5 Rp 1.2M

23.72%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$3.50 Rp 62.5K

171.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$32.44 Rp 579.2K

-25.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$23.28 Rp 415.8K

11.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$6.03 Rp 107.6K

215.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.16 Rp 56.4K

24.37%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$106 Rp 1.9M

190.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,097 Rp 73.2M

45.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$30.05 Rp 536.6K

95.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$25.17 Rp 449.4K

28.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$81.8 Rp 1.5M

25.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$43.93 Rp 784.5K

146.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$212 Rp 3.8M

124.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$168 Rp 3.0M

125.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$438 Rp 7.8M

91.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$333 Rp 5.9M

117.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,167 Rp 20.8M

139.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$737 Rp 13.2M

64.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$218 Rp 3.9M

134.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

123.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Makassar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $212 in Makassar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 135% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $9.00 in Makassar. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Makassar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makassar wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makassar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 135% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $212 in Makassar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Makassar runs roughly 818% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $106 in Makassar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $662 in Makassar versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makassar but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Makassar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makassar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $662 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makassar hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.