Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tanjung Balai Karimun Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tanjung Balai Karimun

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $671 in Tanjung Balai Karimun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,017 in Tanjung Balai Karimun, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,363 in Tanjung Balai Karimun, rent included.

Medellin costs about 54% more than Tanjung Balai Karimun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Tanjung Balai Karimun are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tanjung Balai Karimun 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$1.55 Rp 26.8K

281.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$12.13 Rp 209.4K

169.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$3.40 Rp 58.8K

111.76%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$1.71 Rp 29.4K

-0.58%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.55 Rp 9,536

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.28 Rp 4,854

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

-31.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$3.51 Rp 60.7K

-11.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.18 Rp 20.3K

-10.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$1.17 Rp 20.1K

6.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$0.88 Rp 15.2K

57.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$1.52 Rp 26.3K

48.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$8.21 Rp 141.8K

-47.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

86.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$8.10 Rp 139.9K

9.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$2.37 Rp 40.9K

-5.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.45 Rp 25.0K

-25.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

-17.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$1.51 Rp 26.1K

-9.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$1.32 Rp 22.9K

-14.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$1.95 Rp 33.7K

-42.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

-12.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.44 Rp 7,640

106.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$2.45 Rp 42.3K

-4.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$25.13 Rp 433.9K

-55.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$2.01 Rp 34.7K

-40.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$3.06 Rp 52.8K

-22.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.30 Rp 5,096

163.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$9.99 Rp 172.5K

311.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$0.57 Rp 9,843

152.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$0.38 Rp 6,481

402.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

168.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

22.08%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$24.1K Rp 416.1M

-25.64%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$27.6K Rp 476.7M

-2.96%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$70.3 Rp 1.2M

19.46%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$4.41 Rp 76.2K

117.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$22.53 Rp 389.0K

7.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$22.73 Rp 392.5K

13.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$6.19 Rp 106.8K

207.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

31.10%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$93.9 Rp 1.6M

226.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$7,730 Rp 133.5M

-23.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$41.13 Rp 710.2K

40.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$30.51 Rp 526.8K

4.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

49.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

45.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$263 Rp 4.5M

84.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$158 Rp 2.7M

132.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$587 Rp 10.1M

40.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$338 Rp 5.8M

111.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,221 Rp 21.1M

139.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$771 Rp 13.3M

82.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.15

46.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Balai Karimun: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $263 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $217 in Tanjung Balai Karimun – 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun: 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,006 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $671 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tanjung Balai Karimun, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Tanjung Balai Karimun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tanjung Balai Karimun – 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun. 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.