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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $582 in Manado, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $892 in Manado, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,202 in Manado, rent included.

Medellin costs about 75% more than Manado, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Manado are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Manado 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

395.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$9.45 Rp 169.2K

252.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

132.48%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

0.62%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.30 Rp 5,314

263.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.26 Rp 4,685

180.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.79 Rp 67.9K

-54.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$5.67 Rp 101.6K

-43.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

44.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

76.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

20.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.16 Rp 146.3K

-46.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.23 Rp 57.9K

82.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.00 Rp 143.3K

7.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.84 Rp 50.9K

-20.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

-26.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.29 Rp 23.0K

10.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

-12.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

-37.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

-8.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.48 Rp 8,603

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.44 Rp 43.6K

-7.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$20.81 Rp 372.8K

-46.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

-37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

-25.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.35 Rp 6,341

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$10.11 Rp 181.1K

314.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.54 Rp 9,601

161.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.37 Rp 6,652

413.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.93 Rp 52.5K

164.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

31.17%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$24.5K Rp 438.1M

-28.11%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.2K Rp 487.3M

-2.58%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$25.00 Rp 447.8K

234.72%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

121.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$22.32 Rp 400.0K

8.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$18.56 Rp 332.6K

36.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.13 Rp 109.8K

212.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.54 Rp 45.5K

61.42%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

227.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,063 Rp 90.7M

18.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

-7.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$24.48 Rp 438.6K

33.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

45.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$322 Rp 5.8M

49.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$102 Rp 1.8M

272.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$325 Rp 5.8M

157.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$186 Rp 3.3M

289.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,176 Rp 21.1M

141.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$675 Rp 12.1M

81.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$209 Rp 3.7M

159.34%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Manado: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $322 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 159% 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 $207 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 75%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $873 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 315% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $95.2 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 $582, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.