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: $1,716 in Medellin versus $607 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $933 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $1,260 in Medan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 183% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Medan is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

366.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.0K

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

452.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

230.07%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,167

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

87.74%

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

$1.94 COP 6,122

$0.34 Rp 6,114

470.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,792

$0.25 Rp 4,458

508.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

78.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

60.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,296

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,519

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

109.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,356

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

104.82%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,038

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

115.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

25.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

205.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

128.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

68.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

49.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

43.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,972

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

130.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,447

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

135.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

-13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

$0.41 Rp 7,334

190.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,647

$0.44 Rp 7,756

163.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

29.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

-17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

-6.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

$0.27 Rp 4,759

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

1180.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$0.53 Rp 9,394

141.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

$0.20 Rp 3,602

945.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,088

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

68.83%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

10.88%

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

12.44%

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

$176 COP 554.5K

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

103.64%

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

$13.37 COP 42.1K

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

306.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.1K

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

28.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

162.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

96.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

80.76%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$114 Rp 2.0M

593.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

424.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

51.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

49.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

$105 Rp 1.9M

29.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

$115 Rp 2.0M

-10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$177 Rp 3.1M

497.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

664.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$497 Rp 8.8M

305.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$211 Rp 3.8M

453.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

258.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

$571 Rp 10.1M

197.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$214 Rp 3.8M

210.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.25

18.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $177 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 211% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $9.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $182 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 183% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 211% 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: $1,060 in Medellin versus $177 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 1181% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $793 in Medellin versus $114 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Medan versus $1,716 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 183% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.