Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Medan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Medan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $640 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $988 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,336 in Medan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 61% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Medan 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

227.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$10.72 Rp 192.3K

204.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.28 Rp 58.9K

123.78%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

-4.44%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.39 Rp 7,050

169.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.27 Rp 4,869

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.55 Rp 27.9K

9.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.24 Rp 94.1K

-39.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

-11.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

10.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

68.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

41.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.39 Rp 168.5K

-53.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.71 Rp 66.5K

58.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.83 Rp 122.5K

26.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.32 Rp 41.7K

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

11.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

53.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

50.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

-11.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.45 Rp 8,160

88.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.49 Rp 8,802

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.48 Rp 44.5K

-5.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$15.90 Rp 285.2K

-22.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

-21.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.32 Rp 5,826

162.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$9.59 Rp 172.0K

323.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

144.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.22 Rp 3,955

772.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.17 Rp 110.8K

24.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

20.73%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$28.0K Rp 502.7M

-35.65%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.9K Rp 608.1M

-21.46%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

-3.40%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.67 Rp 65.9K

171.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$34.25 Rp 614.4K

-29.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$23.20 Rp 416.2K

8.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.12 Rp 127.7K

168.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.49 Rp 62.7K

14.04%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$123 Rp 2.2M

148.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$10.6K Rp 190.0M

-42.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

-12.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$42.18 Rp 756.6K

-23.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$115 Rp 2.1M

-12.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

64.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$196 Rp 3.5M

143.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$100 Rp 1.8M

276.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$530 Rp 9.5M

59.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$232 Rp 4.2M

214.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,110 Rp 19.9M

189.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$550 Rp 9.9M

149.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$213 Rp 3.8M

189.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.25

45.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $196 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 189% 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 Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $186 per month, with Medan 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 Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 189% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $196 in Medan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 323% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $123 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $640 in Medan versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.