Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pekanbaru Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pekanbaru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $634 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $989 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,343 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

Medellin costs about 165% more than Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Pekanbaru is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.45 Rp 25.7K

453.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$8.36 Rp 148.0K

472.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

337.61%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.31 Rp 23.1K

138.93%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.42 Rp 7,464

354.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.22 Rp 3,887

586.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

86.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

118.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

98.88%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.68 Rp 29.8K

76.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.37 Rp 130.5K

36.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.54 Rp 45.1K

298.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.72 Rp 119.1K

112.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

50.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.66 Rp 29.5K

-3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.44 Rp 43.2K

-7.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

80.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

53.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

-23.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

60.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.39 Rp 6,991

235.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.11 Rp 37.3K

84.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$20.66 Rp 365.8K

-32.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-8.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

-1.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.27 Rp 4,778

351.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$8.44 Rp 149.4K

853.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

40.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.37 Rp 6,527

491.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.97 Rp 52.5K

193.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.72 Rp 12.7K

90.28%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$22.8K Rp 403.0M

22.31%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$27.4K Rp 485.0M

30.60%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$65.2 Rp 1.2M

172.02%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$6.29 Rp 111.4K

120.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$23.94 Rp 423.9K

24.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$28.75 Rp 509.1K

56.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$8.36 Rp 148.1K

104.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.05 Rp 54.0K

118.03%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$96.6 Rp 1.7M

741.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,970 Rp 141.1M

15.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$27.32 Rp 483.8K

227.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$29.79 Rp 527.4K

97.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$56.5 Rp 999.9K

144.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$208 Rp 3.7M

410.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$157 Rp 2.8M

321.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$556 Rp 9.8M

239.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$374 Rp 6.6M

174.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,357 Rp 24.0M

208.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$659 Rp 11.7M

154.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$179 Rp 3.2M

279.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.46

15.64%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pekanbaru: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $208 in Pekanbaru. 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 279% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $8.00 in Pekanbaru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $203 – making Pekanbaru the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Pekanbaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 165%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $952 in Pekanbaru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pekanbaru, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $8.00 in Pekanbaru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $634 in Pekanbaru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pekanbaru, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Pekanbaru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pekanbaru – 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 Pekanbaru. 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.