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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $702 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,117 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,532 in Surabaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

289.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$12.11 Rp 217.6K

169.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.05 Rp 54.9K

140.66%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

-4.44%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

64.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.28 Rp 5,048

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.40 Rp 43.2K

-29.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.09 Rp 73.5K

-22.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

48.94%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

44.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.24 Rp 166.1K

-52.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

84.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.13 Rp 146.0K

6.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

-5.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

-30.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

-15.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

-34.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.45 Rp 8,091

102.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

-4.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$25.13 Rp 451.6K

-50.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

-35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.31 Rp 59.5K

-24.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.44 Rp 7,860

90.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$9.48 Rp 170.4K

327.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.48 Rp 8,592

195.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.31 Rp 5,615

519.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

180.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

15.12%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$20.5K Rp 368.6M

-12.10%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.0K Rp 629.7M

-24.01%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-2.59%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$4.31 Rp 77.5K

130.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$19.61 Rp 352.5K

23.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$21.82 Rp 392.2K

14.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.59 Rp 82.6K

317.21%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

38.68%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$186 Rp 3.3M

64.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,556 Rp 171.7M

-36.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-7.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$38.85 Rp 698.2K

-17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

29.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

29.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$244 Rp 4.4M

95.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$136 Rp 2.4M

176.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$792 Rp 14.2M

6.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$399 Rp 7.2M

83.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,202 Rp 39.6M

46.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

31.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$269 Rp 4.8M

129.22%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $244 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 129% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $228 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 47%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,054 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $702 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 $702, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.