Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mataram Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mataram

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $558 in Mataram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $861 in Mataram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,163 in Mataram.

Living in Medellin is roughly 80% more expensive than in Mataram, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Mataram 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.11 Rp 20.1K

432.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$11.00 Rp 198.5K

199.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

225.88%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

-8.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.55 Rp 9,869

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.36 Rp 6,535

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.63 Rp 47.5K

-34.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.67 Rp 66.2K

-13.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.53 Rp 27.7K

-28.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.61 Rp 29.1K

-21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

81.58%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.37 Rp 24.8K

59.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.31 Rp 59.7K

35.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.59 Rp 64.8K

61.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.99 Rp 108.2K

49.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.72 Rp 31.0K

34.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.22 Rp 22.0K

-13.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

-19.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

81.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.48 Rp 8,639

87.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.32 Rp 5,695

181.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

25.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$15.33 Rp 276.7K

-20.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.36 Rp 42.6K

-49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.58 Rp 64.6K

-30.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.63 Rp 11.5K

34.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$18.41 Rp 332.4K

126.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.51 Rp 9,185

178.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.31 Rp 5,661

529.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.08 Rp 55.7K

156.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.69 Rp 12.4K

43.48%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$23.3K Rp 420.7M

-24.46%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.5K Rp 496.7M

-2.60%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$50.4 Rp 909.6K

64.74%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.32 Rp 78.1K

124.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$19.37 Rp 349.8K

21.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$26.95 Rp 486.5K

-6.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.48 Rp 135.0K

155.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.10 Rp 38.0K

88.10%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$91.5 Rp 1.7M

245.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,217 Rp 76.1M

41.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$36.84 Rp 665.2K

62.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$24.43 Rp 441.0K

30.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$61.5 Rp 1.1M

65.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$40.48 Rp 730.8K

165.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$76.8 Rp 1.4M

518.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$128 Rp 2.3M

192.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$153 Rp 2.8M

453.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$259 Rp 4.7M

177.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,155 Rp 20.8M

182.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$679 Rp 12.3M

112.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$192 Rp 3.5M

225.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

49.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mataram: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $76.8 in Mataram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 225% 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 $11.00 in Mataram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $174 per month, with Mataram 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 Mataram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Mataram differ by about 80% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $558 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 225% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $76.8 in Mataram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mataram – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $558 in Mataram versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mataram but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mataram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.