Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manado Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manado

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $580 in Manado, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $887 in Manado, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,194 in Manado, rent included.

Medellin costs about 73% more than Manado, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Manado are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Manado 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

396.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$9.03 Rp 163.3K

265.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$3.08 Rp 55.8K

141.23%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.68 Rp 30.4K

-1.79%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.32 Rp 5,829

243.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.26 Rp 4,707

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$3.59 Rp 64.9K

-52.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$6.00 Rp 108.4K

-47.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

-6.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.89 Rp 16.2K

41.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$0.78 Rp 14.2K

76.92%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$8.16 Rp 147.5K

-44.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.15 Rp 56.9K

83.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$7.90 Rp 142.8K

13.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.74 Rp 49.6K

-15.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

-19.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

1.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

-18.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

-38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

-7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.44 Rp 8,000

104.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

-6.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$20.43 Rp 369.3K

-40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.77 Rp 32.0K

-32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$3.18 Rp 57.5K

-22.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.35 Rp 6,412

142.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$9.73 Rp 175.9K

327.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.53 Rp 9,514

167.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.37 Rp 6,717

427.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$2.90 Rp 52.5K

172.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

19.28%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$24.5K Rp 443.1M

-28.16%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$28.0K Rp 506.1M

-4.26%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$24.74 Rp 447.4K

235.53%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

121.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$22.31 Rp 403.4K

5.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$18.33 Rp 331.5K

37.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$6.11 Rp 110.4K

212.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$2.62 Rp 47.4K

50.76%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

232.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$5,231 Rp 94.6M

14.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$61.2 Rp 1.1M

-1.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$24.26 Rp 438.7K

31.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

6.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

46.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$324 Rp 5.9M

46.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

274.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$333 Rp 6.0M

155.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$191 Rp 3.4M

277.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,132 Rp 20.5M

188.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$698 Rp 12.6M

106.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$210 Rp 3.8M

197.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Manado: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $324 in Manado. 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 197% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $9.00 in Manado. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $205 in Manado – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Manado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $871 in Manado. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 328% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $94.9 in Manado. 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 Manado, where all-in costs run around $580, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Manado it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Manado. 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.