Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sidoarjo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sidoarjo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $653 in Sidoarjo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $996 in Sidoarjo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,340 in Sidoarjo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 54% more than Sidoarjo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sidoarjo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Sidoarjo 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

278.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$12.38 Rp 223.5K

166.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.11 Rp 56.2K

138.91%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

175.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.51 Rp 9,237

115.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.28 Rp 5,070

178.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-29.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.93 Rp 71.0K

-19.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.43 Rp 25.9K

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

48.39%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.44 Rp 25.9K

51.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.11 Rp 164.4K

-50.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.57 Rp 46.3K

125.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.05 Rp 109.3K

48.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.95 Rp 17.2K

144.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

76.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

94.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.59 Rp 10.7K

130.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

43.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.12 Rp 20.3K

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.32 Rp 5,857

181.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.42 Rp 7,567

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

4.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$25.11 Rp 453.4K

-51.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.86 Rp 33.6K

-36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.31 Rp 59.8K

-25.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.30 Rp 5,413

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$9.93 Rp 179.3K

319.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.44 Rp 7,983

222.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.31 Rp 5,639

529.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.25 Rp 22.6K

531.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

19.28%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.0K Rp 378.9M

-16.13%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$34.7K Rp 626.1M

-22.73%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

0.46%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.25 Rp 76.7K

128.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$12.46 Rp 224.9K

88.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$22.68 Rp 409.5K

11.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$6.01 Rp 108.5K

217.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.94 Rp 53.1K

34.35%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$187 Rp 3.4M

69.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$9,552 Rp 172.4M

-37.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$62.7 Rp 1.1M

-4.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$39.18 Rp 707.4K

-18.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

32.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$82.8 Rp 1.5M

29.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$254 Rp 4.6M

87.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$160 Rp 2.9M

133.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$589 Rp 10.6M

44.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$333 Rp 6.0M

116.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,176 Rp 21.2M

177.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$696 Rp 12.6M

107.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.33

61.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sidoarjo: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $254 in Sidoarjo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Sidoarjo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $185 – making Sidoarjo 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 Sidoarjo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 54%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $979 in Sidoarjo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $653 in Sidoarjo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sidoarjo, where all-in costs run around $653, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Sidoarjo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sidoarjo – 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 Sidoarjo. 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.