Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pontianak

For one person, living is cheaper in Pontianak: $477 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Pontianak

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$477

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Pontianak

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Pontianak actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $477 in Pontianak, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Pontianak $477

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $594 in Pontianak, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Pontianak $594

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $710 in Pontianak, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Pontianak $710

Medellin costs about 255% more than Pontianak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Pontianak is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.9K

$1.72 Rp 31.2K

384.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.1K

$8.33 Rp 151.1K

458.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.5K

$2.87 Rp 52.1K

229.97%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$1.19 Rp 21.5K

163.03%

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

$1.77 COP 5,696

$0.49 Rp 8,911

261.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,594

$0.21 Rp 3,807

576.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

$2.70 Rp 49.0K

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

$3.50 Rp 63.5K

62.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,943

$1.02 Rp 18.6K

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,389

$1.36 Rp 24.8K

68.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,273

$0.98 Rp 17.8K

97.96%

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,889

$1.43 Rp 25.9K

114.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.7K

$3.24 Rp 58.7K

222.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.0K

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

$3.11 Rp 56.5K

30.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,929

$1.90 Rp 34.5K

-19.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,786

$2.19 Rp 39.7K

-4.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,397

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,803

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,512

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,774

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,096

$0.52 Rp 9,437

203.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

$2.68 Rp 48.6K

45.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.3K

$22.33 Rp 405.0K

-37.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,682

$1.81 Rp 32.8K

-2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,746

$2.11 Rp 38.3K

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,805

$0.29 Rp 5,286

306.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,827

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,867

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,113

$0.72 Rp 13.1K

77.78%

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

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

$34.1K COP 110.1M

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

$178 COP 573.2K

$70.2 Rp 1.3M

153.10%

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

$13.89 COP 44.8K

$5.39 Rp 97.8K

157.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.1K

$21.93 Rp 397.8K

40.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 135.3K

$23.39 Rp 424.3K

79.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.2K

$11.57 Rp 209.9K

45.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.1K

$3.61 Rp 65.5K

106.93%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.4K

$33.74 Rp 612.0K

155.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.1K

$33.44 Rp 606.7K

77.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

$164 Rp 3.0M

719.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.2M

$108 Rp 2.0M

516.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

$263 Rp 4.8M

145.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Pontianak: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Pontianak

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Pontianak

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Pontianak

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Pontianak

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Pontianak

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Pontianak

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Pontianak

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $164 in Pontianak. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Medellin are about 2.5 times higher, 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 $47 in Medellin versus $8 in Pontianak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $150 – making Pontianak the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇮🇩 Pontianak

🕒 Local time

22:05 10:05 PM

10:05 10:05 AM

12 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

672,440

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,631 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18,140 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,421 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.9 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Pontianak 19,130 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Pontianak

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Pontianak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 255%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $716 in Pontianak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pontianak, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $164 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.

Groceries cost about 105% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $8 in Pontianak. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pontianak, where all-in costs run around $477, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Pontianak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $477 in Pontianak to $1,692 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Pontianak. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.