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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $665 in Makassar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,003 in Makassar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,341 in Makassar.

Living in Medellin is roughly 55% more expensive than in Makassar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Makassar 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.03 Rp 54.3K

103.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$9.36 Rp 167.9K

248.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.00 Rp 53.9K

144.67%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

-4.44%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.40 Rp 7,137

92.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$3.61 Rp 64.7K

-53.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.63 Rp 65.1K

-12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.63 Rp 29.3K

-35.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.08 Rp 19.4K

20.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

118.75%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

51.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.37 Rp 96.4K

-18.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

107.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.26 Rp 76.4K

102.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.23 Rp 40.1K

2.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

-30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.83 Rp 32.7K

-16.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

-14.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

-9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

-27.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.45 Rp 7,996

88.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.47 Rp 8,467

93.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.52 Rp 45.2K

-7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$22.33 Rp 400.6K

-44.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.02 Rp 36.2K

-40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.30 Rp 5,294

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$4.56 Rp 81.9K

789.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

153.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.29 Rp 5,126

562.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

144.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

26.92%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$16.7K Rp 299.7M

7.92%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$18.4K Rp 330.9M

44.36%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$66.8 Rp 1.2M

20.94%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.59 Rp 64.4K

177.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$32.49 Rp 582.8K

-25.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$23.23 Rp 416.7K

7.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.09 Rp 109.3K

214.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.15 Rp 56.5K

26.35%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$106 Rp 1.9M

187.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,103 Rp 73.6M

47.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$29.14 Rp 522.7K

99.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.17 Rp 451.6K

27.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

21.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$43.19 Rp 774.8K

149.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$214 Rp 3.8M

122.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$168 Rp 3.0M

124.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$425 Rp 7.6M

98.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$338 Rp 6.1M

115.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,355 Rp 24.3M

137.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$545 Rp 9.8M

151.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$209 Rp 3.7M

195.44%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Makassar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $214 in Makassar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 195% 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 for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $188 per month, with Makassar cheaper across the board.

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 55% 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 runs 195% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $214 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 790% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $106 in Makassar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $665 in Makassar versus $1,031 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 $665 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 55% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.