Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Purwokerto Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Purwokerto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $631 in Purwokerto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $960 in Purwokerto, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,289 in Purwokerto, rent included.

Medellin costs about 63% more than Purwokerto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Purwokerto are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Purwokerto 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

361.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$9.15 Rp 162.0K

258.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$3.41 Rp 60.4K

117.60%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

19.57%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.36 Rp 6,358

197.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.19 Rp 3,331

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.64 Rp 64.4K

-12.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

21.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

65.43%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

44.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$8.92 Rp 158.0K

-50.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.12 Rp 55.4K

82.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$7.93 Rp 140.5K

7.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

1.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

-17.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

-10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.60 Rp 28.4K

-14.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

-21.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.57 Rp 45.5K

-54.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.98 Rp 17.3K

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.32 Rp 5,694

168.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.49 Rp 44.1K

-9.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$21.60 Rp 382.7K

-46.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.05 Rp 36.4K

-41.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

-30.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.26 Rp 4,619

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$9.78 Rp 173.3K

317.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.72 Rp 12.7K

104.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

152.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$2.47 Rp 43.8K

214.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.64 Rp 11.3K

57.81%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$24.7K Rp 437.9M

-28.56%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$25.8K Rp 457.5M

2.45%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$43.92 Rp 778.0K

84.65%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

107.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$22.43 Rp 397.3K

6.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$18.11 Rp 320.9K

43.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$6.27 Rp 111.0K

198.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$2.79 Rp 49.5K

46.59%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$93.7 Rp 1.7M

235.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$7,626 Rp 135.1M

-21.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$42.21 Rp 747.7K

41.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$31.09 Rp 550.7K

2.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$59.8 Rp 1.1M

69.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$65.2 Rp 1.2M

61.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$260 Rp 4.6M

86.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$155 Rp 2.7M

135.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$584 Rp 10.3M

41.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$334 Rp 5.9M

118.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,427 Rp 25.3M

109.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$280 Rp 5.0M

368.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$122 Rp 2.2M

352.99%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Purwokerto: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $260 in Purwokerto. 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 353% 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 Purwokerto. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $211 in Purwokerto – 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 Purwokerto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 63%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $947 in Purwokerto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Purwokerto, 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 Purwokerto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $631 in Purwokerto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Purwokerto, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Purwokerto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Purwokerto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Purwokerto. 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.