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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $671 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $972 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,273 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

Medellin costs about 51% more than Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Pekanbaru are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Pekanbaru 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

279.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$9.16 Rp 163.6K

258.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$2.43 Rp 43.3K

191.77%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

26.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.50 Rp 8,881

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.24 Rp 4,259

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

-23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

-7.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

40.82%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

28.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$17.17 Rp 306.6K

-74.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

114.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$10.17 Rp 181.5K

-12.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.88 Rp 51.4K

-18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

-36.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.67 Rp 29.8K

-30.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-40.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.45 Rp 8,024

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$21.07 Rp 376.3K

-49.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.80 Rp 50.0K

-57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$4.08 Rp 72.8K

-39.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.29 Rp 5,261

196.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

357.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

67.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.44 Rp 7,814

345.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

261.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

23.38%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$22.7K Rp 405.1M

-20.07%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$25.7K Rp 459.7M

2.88%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

18.67%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$6.73 Rp 120.2K

41.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$28.30 Rp 505.4K

-14.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$23.12 Rp 412.8K

11.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$12.25 Rp 218.7K

55.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.29 Rp 58.7K

19.45%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$175 Rp 3.1M

76.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,092 Rp 55.2M

92.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$34.33 Rp 613.1K

70.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$36.18 Rp 646.2K

-10.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$65.1 Rp 1.2M

57.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

41.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$258 Rp 4.6M

84.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$120 Rp 2.2M

214.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$908 Rp 16.2M

-7.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$154 Rp 2.7M

370.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,026 Rp 18.3M

171.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$722 Rp 12.9M

67.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$190 Rp 3.4M

169.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.15

46.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pekanbaru: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $258 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 169% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $9.00 in Pekanbaru. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $251 in Pekanbaru – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 51%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,007 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $9.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $671 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 $671, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.