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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $603 in Manado, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $929 in Manado, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,255 in Manado, rent included.

Medellin costs about 71% more than Manado, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Manado are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Manado 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.27 Rp 21.9K

366.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$9.38 Rp 162.6K

249.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.14 Rp 54.5K

129.30%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.66 Rp 28.8K

2.41%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.32 Rp 5,563

243.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.26 Rp 4,530

176.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.67 Rp 63.6K

-54.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$5.87 Rp 101.8K

-47.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

-13.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.91 Rp 15.7K

37.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.73 Rp 12.7K

90.41%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.82 Rp 31.5K

24.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.91 Rp 137.0K

-45.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.08 Rp 53.3K

89.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.74 Rp 134.1K

14.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.82 Rp 48.8K

-20.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.47 Rp 25.5K

-26.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.86 Rp 32.3K

-17.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.30 Rp 22.5K

5.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.37 Rp 23.7K

-17.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.90 Rp 32.9K

-41.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.47 Rp 8,231

93.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.32 Rp 40.3K

0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$28.87 Rp 500.3K

-61.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.75 Rp 30.3K

-32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.16 Rp 54.8K

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.32 Rp 5,602

146.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$9.60 Rp 166.4K

328.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.54 Rp 9,323

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.37 Rp 6,421

416.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.96 Rp 51.3K

170.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.80 Rp 13.9K

17.50%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$24.7K Rp 427.7M

-27.38%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.2K Rp 470.7M

-1.36%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$24.75 Rp 428.9K

239.23%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.32 Rp 74.9K

122.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$23.13 Rp 400.9K

4.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$18.53 Rp 321.2K

39.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$6.12 Rp 106.0K

211.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.66 Rp 46.1K

47.37%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

232.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,155 Rp 89.3M

14.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

-4.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$24.46 Rp 424.0K

30.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$93.4 Rp 1.6M

7.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

43.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$328 Rp 5.7M

48.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

272.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$327 Rp 5.7M

152.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$186 Rp 3.2M

284.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,203 Rp 20.9M

143.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$782 Rp 13.6M

79.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$221 Rp 3.8M

146.73%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Manado: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $328 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 147% 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 – $190 in Medellin vs $221 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 71%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $905 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 $306 per month in Medellin and $92.1 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 $603, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.