Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tanjung Pinang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tanjung Pinang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $638 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,020 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,401 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 157% more than Tanjung Pinang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Tanjung Pinang is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.0K

$3.41 Rp 60.0K

135.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.9K

$13.86 Rp 244.2K

248.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.3K

$3.72 Rp 65.5K

153.23%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,120

$1.42 Rp 25.0K

107.04%

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

$1.86 COP 5,786

$0.46 Rp 8,047

304.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,519

$0.23 Rp 4,018

534.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,969

$2.61 Rp 46.1K

22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$3.93 Rp 69.3K

45.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,467

$1.14 Rp 20.1K

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,454

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

92.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,274

$0.93 Rp 16.3K

82.80%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,975

$1.49 Rp 26.3K

93.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$7.31 Rp 128.8K

37.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.0K

$2.92 Rp 51.4K

241.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.1K

$8.54 Rp 150.4K

66.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$2.41 Rp 42.4K

65.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,921

$1.26 Rp 22.2K

25.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,682

$1.85 Rp 32.5K

16.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,141

$1.28 Rp 22.5K

79.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,223

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

70.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,687

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

-27.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,734

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

55.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,981

$0.40 Rp 6,973

220.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$2.68 Rp 47.1K

43.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$18.31 Rp 322.6K

-23.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,302

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

-5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,515

$2.79 Rp 49.2K

-1.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,868

$0.32 Rp 5,665

290.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,052

$0.50 Rp 8,803

162.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,739

$0.39 Rp 6,834

456.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

$2.65 Rp 46.8K

212.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,209

$0.65 Rp 11.5K

109.23%

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

$27.5K COP 85.3M

$23.7K Rp 418.0M

15.76%

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

$36.5K COP 113.4M

$29.9K Rp 526.2M

22.29%

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

$169 COP 523.8K

$60.1 Rp 1.1M

180.87%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$4.06 Rp 71.5K

234.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.9K

$18.89 Rp 332.7K

49.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.9K

$20.13 Rp 354.5K

127.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

$9.27 Rp 163.3K

85.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$2.76 Rp 48.5K

140.94%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$102 Rp 1.8M

687.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$8,975 Rp 158.1M

2.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.2K

$42.82 Rp 754.2K

104.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.3K

$33.21 Rp 584.8K

78.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.3K

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

91.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.8K

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

37.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$201 Rp 3.5M

431.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$168 Rp 3.0M

288.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$594 Rp 10.5M

223.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$345 Rp 6.1M

204.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$1,099 Rp 19.3M

275.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$756 Rp 13.3M

124.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$198 Rp 3.5M

230.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.46

15.64%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Pinang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $201 in Tanjung Pinang. 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 230% 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 $14.00 in Tanjung Pinang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $196 – making Tanjung Pinang 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 Tanjung Pinang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 157%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $957 in Tanjung Pinang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tanjung Pinang, 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 $14.00 in Tanjung Pinang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tanjung Pinang, where all-in costs run around $638, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Tanjung Pinang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tanjung Pinang – 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 Pinang. 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.