Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Semarang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Semarang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $652 in Semarang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,022 in Semarang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,391 in Semarang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 55% more than Semarang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Semarang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Semarang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

232.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$12.32 Rp 220.9K

166.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.69 Rp 66.1K

92.14%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

14.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.52 Rp 9,352

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.27 Rp 4,833

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

-15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.01 Rp 53.9K

1.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

22.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

72.50%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

44.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.11 Rp 109.5K

-27.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

92.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.73 Rp 156.5K

1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

-9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

-20.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

-12.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

-11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.88 Rp 33.8K

-38.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.91 Rp 16.3K

-2.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.41 Rp 7,300

104.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$14.10 Rp 252.7K

-24.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.58 Rp 46.3K

-53.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.88 Rp 51.5K

-14.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.26 Rp 4,661

230.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$13.11 Rp 234.9K

215.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

58.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.31 Rp 5,634

532.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.88 Rp 51.6K

168.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

10.47%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$24.5K Rp 439.9M

-26.12%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$31.2K Rp 558.6M

-15.00%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$94.0 Rp 1.7M

-12.48%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

246.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$23.89 Rp 428.2K

1.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$23.84 Rp 427.4K

8.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$5.06 Rp 90.6K

275.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.05 Rp 54.6K

28.85%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$44.50 Rp 797.7K

595.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,399 Rp 43.0M

148.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$37.42 Rp 670.8K

56.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$32.67 Rp 585.6K

-0.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

53.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$43.76 Rp 784.5K

147.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$255 Rp 4.6M

86.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$154 Rp 2.8M

146.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$536 Rp 9.6M

56.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$413 Rp 7.4M

75.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,187 Rp 21.3M

135.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$564 Rp 10.1M

114.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$184 Rp 3.3M

178.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.83

71.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Semarang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $255 in Semarang. 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 179% 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 $12.00 in Semarang. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $190 in Semarang – 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 Semarang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $978 in Semarang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semarang, 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 $12.00 in Semarang. 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 $652 in Semarang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Semarang, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Semarang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Semarang – 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 Semarang. 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.