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 $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $674 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,053 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,431 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Tanjung Pinang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$3.78 Rp 65.0K

56.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$12.31 Rp 211.5K

169.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$3.47 Rp 59.6K

108.93%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$1.67 Rp 28.7K

2.40%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.54 Rp 9,322

101.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.26 Rp 4,420

196.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.44 Rp 42.0K

-28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.62 Rp 62.3K

-12.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.17 Rp 20.1K

-9.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.17 Rp 20.0K

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$0.93 Rp 16.0K

48.39%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$1.42 Rp 24.4K

55.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$7.98 Rp 137.1K

-43.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$3.21 Rp 55.2K

80.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$7.75 Rp 133.1K

15.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.38 Rp 41.0K

-3.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.44 Rp 24.7K

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.85 Rp 31.9K

-18.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.51 Rp 26.0K

-9.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.31 Rp 22.6K

-11.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.97 Rp 33.9K

-40.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

-14.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.42 Rp 7,205

102.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$2.03 Rp 34.9K

15.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$24.18 Rp 415.6K

-54.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$2.13 Rp 36.6K

-46.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$3.06 Rp 52.6K

-19.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.33 Rp 5,588

139.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$9.89 Rp 169.9K

323.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.53 Rp 9,149

171.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.35 Rp 5,937

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$2.85 Rp 49.0K

170.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

33.77%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$24.7K Rp 424.0M

-28.32%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$27.7K Rp 476.7M

-2.60%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$68.8 Rp 1.2M

18.31%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$4.37 Rp 75.0K

115.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$23.09 Rp 396.7K

2.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$23.20 Rp 398.8K

11.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$6.19 Rp 106.4K

212.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$2.65 Rp 45.6K

52.83%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$94.4 Rp 1.6M

231.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$7,728 Rp 132.8M

-21.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$40.96 Rp 703.9K

43.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$30.12 Rp 517.7K

8.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$67.2 Rp 1.2M

49.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

43.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$262 Rp 4.5M

87.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$160 Rp 2.8M

131.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$586 Rp 10.1M

43.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$332 Rp 5.7M

115.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,403 Rp 24.1M

110.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$810 Rp 13.9M

72.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$275 Rp 4.7M

93.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.5

106.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Pinang: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $262 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 93% 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 in Medellin versus $12 in Tanjung Pinang. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $213 in Tanjung Pinang – 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 Pinang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,012 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $12.00 in Tanjung Pinang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $674 in Tanjung Pinang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tanjung Pinang, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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.