Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Makassar

For one person, living is cheaper in Makassar: $640 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Makassar
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Makassar Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Makassar

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$640

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Makassar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Makassar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $640 in Makassar.

Medellin $1,639
Makassar $640

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $989 in Makassar.

Medellin $2,413
Makassar $989

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $1,338 in Makassar.

Medellin $3,186
Makassar $1,338

Living in Medellin is roughly 156% more expensive than in Makassar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Makassar is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$1.61 Rp 29.2K

402.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.8K

$9.07 Rp 164.8K

418.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$3.09 Rp 56.2K

207.44%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,729

$1.98 Rp 36.0K

52.02%

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

$1.80 COP 5,806

$0.49 Rp 8,981

267.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,558

$0.33 Rp 5,947

327.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.2K

$2.54 Rp 46.2K

25.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

$3.18 Rp 57.8K

80.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,873

$1.56 Rp 28.3K

-3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,673

$1.02 Rp 18.6K

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,716

$0.57 Rp 10.4K

210.53%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,327

$1.50 Rp 27.3K

92.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$6.43 Rp 116.8K

58.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

$3.48 Rp 63.2K

183.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.1K

$5.38 Rp 97.8K

160.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

$2.35 Rp 42.7K

68.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,009

$1.36 Rp 24.6K

13.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,044

$1.88 Rp 34.2K

15.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,047

$1.20 Rp 21.7K

81.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,333

$1.26 Rp 22.9K

55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,129

$1.48 Rp 27.0K

7.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,696

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

51.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,012

$0.41 Rp 7,416

202.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$2.71 Rp 49.2K

46.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

$22.04 Rp 400.2K

-37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,356

$1.79 Rp 32.5K

-7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,286

$2.93 Rp 53.2K

-22.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,769

$0.29 Rp 5,304

303.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.7K

$11.90 Rp 216.0K

550.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,092

$0.49 Rp 8,832

159.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,608

$0.34 Rp 6,238

502.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

$2.81 Rp 51.0K

204.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,346

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

75.32%

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

$34.1K COP 109.9M

$22.9K Rp 415.9M

48.76%

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

$32.4K Rp 588.5M

6.99%

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

$170 COP 547.5K

$89.6 Rp 1.6M

89.40%

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

$13.55 COP 43.7K

$2.62 Rp 47.5K

417.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

$24.31 Rp 441.5K

15.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.0K

$21.48 Rp 390.0K

103.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

$8.36 Rp 151.9K

105.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

$3.36 Rp 61.0K

105.65%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

$91.7 Rp 1.7M

768.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

$3,715 Rp 67.5M

145.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.4K

$27.01 Rp 490.6K

213.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.0K

$22.77 Rp 413.6K

154.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.5K

$74.5 Rp 1.4M

81.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 315.8K

$39.35 Rp 714.6K

148.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$225 Rp 4.1M

436.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$144 Rp 2.6M

346.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$553 Rp 10.0M

266.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$363 Rp 6.6M

178.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

$1,146 Rp 20.8M

263.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

$795 Rp 14.4M

140.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$211 Rp 3.8M

211.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.46

15.64%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Makassar: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Makassar

$144 22.5% 77.6% $498

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Makassar

$194 30.3% 34.7% $103

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Makassar

$116 18.2% 44.9% $95

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Makassar

$68 10.7% 59.8% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Makassar

$74 11.5% 56.4% $95

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Makassar

$15 2.4% 83.7% $78

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Makassar

$28 4.4% 51% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $225 in Makassar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays about 3.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $9 in Makassar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $194 per month, with Makassar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇮🇩 Makassar

🕒 Local time

00:33 12:33 AM

13:33 1:33 PM

13 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

1,427,619

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,227 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,617 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,161 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,355 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Medellin Makassar 18,350 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Makassar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 61% 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.

Average pay in Medellin is about 3.1 times higher, 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: $1,208 in Medellin versus $225 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 85% less than in Medellin. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $797 in Medellin versus $92 in Makassar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $640 in Makassar versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $800 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 cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.