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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $651 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $982 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,313 in Medan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 56% more expensive than Medan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Medan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

227.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

209.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

120.19%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

-5.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.40 Rp 7,122

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.25 Rp 4,419

212.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

-40.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

-7.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

58.62%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

38.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

-55.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

45.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

29.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

2.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

46.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

55.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

-10.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.46 Rp 8,163

93.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.46 Rp 8,201

82.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

-8.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

-32.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

-22.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.30 Rp 5,318

186.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

319.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.52 Rp 9,345

182.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.22 Rp 3,931

790.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

23.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

15.85%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

-35.42%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

-21.74%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

-1.38%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

160.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

-27.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

10.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

161.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

9.78%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$126 Rp 2.3M

145.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

-43.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

-11.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

-23.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$116 Rp 2.1M

-11.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

65.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$191 Rp 3.4M

148.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

284.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$544 Rp 9.7M

54.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$231 Rp 4.1M

214.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

137.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$567 Rp 10.1M

113.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$215 Rp 3.8M

138.14%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $191 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 138% 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 $188 vs $187 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 138% more on average, 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: $476 in Medellin versus $191 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 320% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $126 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $651 in Medan versus $1,013 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 56% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.