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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $581 in Semarang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $928 in Semarang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,274 in Semarang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 182% more than Semarang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Semarang is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

454.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$10.54 Rp 185.6K

358.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

200.00%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

137.10%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.49 Rp 8,635

279.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.18 Rp 3,148

711.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

83.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.43 Rp 60.3K

66.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

115.19%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

109.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$5.66 Rp 99.6K

77.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$2.36 Rp 41.6K

322.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$8.16 Rp 143.6K

74.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

57.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

3.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

18.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

47.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.79 Rp 31.5K

11.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

-32.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

44.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.42 Rp 7,375

204.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.26 Rp 39.8K

69.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$14.17 Rp 249.5K

-1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.35 Rp 41.4K

-27.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

1.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.24 Rp 4,246

420.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$14.32 Rp 252.2K

443.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

47.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.29 Rp 5,129

648.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

70.00%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$23.0K Rp 405.1M

19.41%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$31.1K Rp 547.6M

17.48%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

147.86%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

404.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$20.77 Rp 365.6K

36.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$21.00 Rp 369.8K

117.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$4.76 Rp 83.8K

261.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

199.55%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$40.97 Rp 721.3K

1860.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

311.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$28.65 Rp 504.3K

204.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$29.45 Rp 518.4K

101.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$58.8 Rp 1.0M

136.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$39.84 Rp 701.5K

156.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$229 Rp 4.0M

367.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$143 Rp 2.5M

355.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$496 Rp 8.7M

288.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$394 Rp 6.9M

166.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,178 Rp 20.7M

250.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$557 Rp 9.8M

205.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$196 Rp 3.5M

234.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.83

39.72%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Semarang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $229 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 234% 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 $11.00 in Semarang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $183 – making Semarang 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 Semarang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 182%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $872 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $11.00 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $581 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 $581, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.