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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $688 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,205 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,722 in Surabaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 149% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Surabaya is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

383.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$11.40 Rp 201.0K

323.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$3.24 Rp 57.2K

201.54%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

86.54%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.56 Rp 9,841

246.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.26 Rp 4,572

484.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

37.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

31.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

78.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

97.67%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.21 Rp 21.2K

137.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$7.80 Rp 137.5K

27.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

264.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$7.87 Rp 138.8K

87.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

102.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

18.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

13.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

45.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

49.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

-22.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

22.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.40 Rp 7,050

190.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

98.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$25.35 Rp 447.0K

-43.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

-7.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

-2.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.36 Rp 6,271

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.47 Rp 8,334

172.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.47 Rp 8,293

344.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

219.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

62.50%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$24.7K Rp 435.5M

11.96%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$33.1K Rp 583.3M

7.32%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

98.01%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$4.83 Rp 85.2K

176.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$19.84 Rp 349.7K

50.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$18.57 Rp 327.4K

141.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$6.54 Rp 115.3K

160.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

133.96%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$286 Rp 5.0M

177.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$9,694 Rp 170.9M

-6.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

20.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$39.47 Rp 695.8K

48.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

67.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

37.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$290 Rp 5.1M

265.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$150 Rp 2.6M

354.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

57.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$618 Rp 10.9M

89.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

84.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,073 Rp 18.9M

58.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$277 Rp 4.9M

139.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.5

45.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $290 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 140% 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 Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $211 – making Surabaya 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 Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 149%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,032 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $11.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.