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 $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $672 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,052 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $1,432 in Tanjung Pinang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 52% more than Tanjung Pinang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Tanjung Pinang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tanjung Pinang 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$3.59 Rp 64.4K

65.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$12.44 Rp 223.1K

166.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$3.36 Rp 60.2K

111.90%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

1.79%

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

$1.05 COP 3,374

$0.51 Rp 9,059

105.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$0.28 Rp 5,027

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$2.49 Rp 44.6K

-30.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.46 Rp 62.0K

-8.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$1.24 Rp 22.2K

-14.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

15.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

52.87%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

60.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$8.19 Rp 147.0K

-46.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$3.15 Rp 56.5K

87.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$7.71 Rp 138.3K

12.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

-25.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$1.89 Rp 34.0K

-22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

-8.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-15.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

-39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$0.44 Rp 7,952

90.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$1.95 Rp 34.9K

19.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$21.37 Rp 383.3K

-44.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$2.11 Rp 37.8K

-45.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

-24.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$0.32 Rp 5,798

162.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

$10.07 Rp 180.6K

305.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

151.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

$0.35 Rp 6,269

445.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$2.87 Rp 51.4K

172.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

28.77%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$24.8K Rp 444.1M

-28.04%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$27.8K Rp 499.4M

-2.75%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

18.42%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$4.21 Rp 75.5K

129.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$23.17 Rp 415.6K

4.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

$23.13 Rp 414.9K

9.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$6.12 Rp 109.7K

215.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$2.63 Rp 47.2K

54.75%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

224.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$7,578 Rp 135.9M

-21.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$40.90 Rp 733.5K

46.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$30.73 Rp 551.2K

6.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$66.1 Rp 1.2M

52.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

44.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$263 Rp 4.7M

81.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$161 Rp 2.9M

135.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$591 Rp 10.6M

38.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$338 Rp 6.1M

109.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$1,133 Rp 20.3M

181.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$645 Rp 11.6M

124.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$196 Rp 3.5M

216.93%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Pinang: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $263 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 217% 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 Tanjung Pinang. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Medellin vs $209 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 52%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,008 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 $1,018 in Medellin and $672 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 $672, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.