Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Malang

For one person, living is cheaper in Malang: $474 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 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
23

Cost of Living Index in Malang
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Malang Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Malang

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$474

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Malang

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 Malang actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $474 in Malang, rent included.

Medellin $1,614
Malang $474

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $729 in Malang, rent included.

Medellin $2,402
Malang $729

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $984 in Malang, rent included.

Medellin $3,190
Malang $984

Medellin costs about 241% more than Malang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Malang is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.1K

$1.11 Rp 19.9K

614.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.2K

$11.07 Rp 199.2K

316.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

244.20%

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,860

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

132.09%

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

$1.83 COP 5,796

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

205.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,357

$0.23 Rp 4,146

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,666

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

33.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

$4.25 Rp 76.6K

29.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,597

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

46.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,491

$1.12 Rp 20.2K

110.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,325

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

100.00%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,072

$1.24 Rp 22.4K

130.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

$5.89 Rp 106.0K

73.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

$3.09 Rp 55.6K

208.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

$7.20 Rp 129.7K

95.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

$2.02 Rp 36.3K

101.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,739

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

18.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,887

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

37.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,305

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

61.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,110

$1.30 Rp 23.4K

48.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,193

$1.92 Rp 34.6K

-14.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,568

$0.47 Rp 8,439

140.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,952

$0.42 Rp 7,580

197.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

50.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

$12.47 Rp 224.5K

7.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,380

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,520

$3.00 Rp 53.9K

-21.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,825

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

101.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.4K

$5.61 Rp 100.9K

1263.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,177

$0.48 Rp 8,631

175.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,770

$0.40 Rp 7,244

435.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

$5.45 Rp 98.1K

55.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,112

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

75.68%

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

$24.9K Rp 448.9M

12.22%

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

$35.4K COP 112.2M

$27.7K Rp 498.8M

27.79%

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

$172 COP 545.3K

$30.83 Rp 555.0K

458.19%

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

$13.37 COP 42.4K

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

454.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.0K

$19.51 Rp 351.1K

47.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.4K

$14.68 Rp 264.3K

208.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

$4.47 Rp 80.5K

281.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

227.08%

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

$770 COP 2.4M

$30.88 Rp 555.9K

2394.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

$9,452 Rp 170.1M

-4.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 273.8K

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

53.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.0K

$22.41 Rp 403.4K

154.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.6K

$51.9 Rp 934.9K

162.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.2K

$35.74 Rp 643.3K

173.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

$136 Rp 2.5M

674.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

$91.5 Rp 1.6M

572.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

$193 Rp 3.5M

879.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

$156 Rp 2.8M

553.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$203 Rp 3.7M

220.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

173.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Malang: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Malang

$92 19.3% 85.1% $524

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Malang

$169 35.7% 42.5% $125

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Malang

$53 11.1% 75.4% $161

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Malang

$75 15.8% 55.9% $95

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Malang

$56 11.9% 66.5% $112

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Malang

$10 2.2% 88.8% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Malang

$19 3.9% 68% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $136 in Malang. 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 221% 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Malang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $169 – making Malang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇮🇩 Malang

🕒 Local time

15:11 3:11 PM

03:11 3:11 AM

12 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

857,891

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.16 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.95 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 October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 3,169 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,554 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,188 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.95 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Malang 19,090 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Malang

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 Malang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 241%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $711 in Malang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1263% less in Malang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $770 per month in Medellin and $30.88 in Malang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Malang, where all-in costs run around $474, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Malang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Malang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Malang. 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.