Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $708 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,133 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,557 in Surabaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 43% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

294.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$12.12 Rp 218.6K

171.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

126.52%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$1.82 Rp 32.7K

-6.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.26 Rp 4,648

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$2.41 Rp 43.5K

-30.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.02 Rp 72.4K

-23.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.38 Rp 25.0K

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

-13.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

48.39%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

52.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.04 Rp 163.1K

-51.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$3.29 Rp 59.4K

71.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$8.45 Rp 152.5K

5.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

-3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

-31.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

-31.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$1.42 Rp 25.7K

-2.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

-12.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

-35.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

-24.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.42 Rp 7,603

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$2.54 Rp 45.8K

-10.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$24.78 Rp 446.9K

-57.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.77 Rp 31.8K

-32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$3.14 Rp 56.7K

-21.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.48 Rp 8,572

79.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$9.40 Rp 169.6K

340.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$0.44 Rp 7,997

234.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.29 Rp 5,216

575.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$2.77 Rp 50.0K

179.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

13.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$20.6K Rp 372.2M

-12.14%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$35.8K Rp 645.7M

-26.02%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

-3.08%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$4.09 Rp 73.7K

132.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$19.75 Rp 356.2K

22.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$21.59 Rp 389.4K

19.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$4.57 Rp 82.4K

315.75%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

37.89%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$188 Rp 3.4M

65.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$9,556 Rp 172.3M

-37.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

-4.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$38.56 Rp 695.3K

-16.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

31.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

29.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$242 Rp 4.4M

96.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$135 Rp 2.4M

179.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$762 Rp 13.7M

10.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$393 Rp 7.1M

84.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,209 Rp 39.8M

26.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,067 Rp 19.2M

13.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$276 Rp 5.0M

85.76%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $242 in Surabaya. 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 86% 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 Surabaya. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $226 in Surabaya – 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 Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,062 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surabaya, 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 Surabaya. 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 $708 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Surabaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surabaya – 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 Surabaya. 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.