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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $517 in Purwokerto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $847 in Purwokerto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,176 in Purwokerto, rent included.

Medellin costs about 225% more than Purwokerto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Purwokerto is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

516.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$8.34 Rp 147.6K

473.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

208.10%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.40 Rp 24.7K

123.57%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.42 Rp 7,355

354.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.17 Rp 3,075

788.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.24 Rp 39.7K

39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.10 Rp 54.9K

85.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

25.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

179.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

113.25%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.48 Rp 26.3K

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.26 Rp 128.5K

38.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.88 Rp 51.0K

251.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

88.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

85.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

49.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

147.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

83.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.94 Rp 34.3K

-20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.67 Rp 11.8K

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.36 Rp 6,299

263.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.39 Rp 42.4K

63.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$22.29 Rp 394.7K

-37.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.87 Rp 33.2K

-6.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.12 Rp 55.3K

-8.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.22 Rp 3,902

454.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$11.88 Rp 210.3K

577.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.49 Rp 8,589

167.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.33 Rp 5,793

563.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

270.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

90.28%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.5K Rp 380.2M

29.65%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$29.0K Rp 512.8M

23.53%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$34.43 Rp 609.6K

414.96%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

399.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$19.10 Rp 338.1K

55.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$19.74 Rp 349.6K

127.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$11.29 Rp 199.9K

51.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

164.94%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

760.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,263 Rp 128.6M

26.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$39.61 Rp 701.3K

125.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$31.60 Rp 559.6K

86.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

89.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

39.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$140 Rp 2.5M

658.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$72.3 Rp 1.3M

817.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$587 Rp 10.4M

221.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$259 Rp 4.6M

296.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,409 Rp 25.0M

196.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$288 Rp 5.1M

480.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$120 Rp 2.1M

465.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.45

29.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Purwokerto: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $140 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 466% 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 Purwokerto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $191 – making Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 225%, 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 $776 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $8.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $517 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 $517, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.