Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yogyakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yogyakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $652 in Yogyakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,012 in Yogyakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,371 in Yogyakarta, rent included.

Medellin costs about 55% more than Yogyakarta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Yogyakarta are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Yogyakarta 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

324.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$9.01 Rp 161.6K

264.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.12 Rp 55.9K

127.24%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

17.12%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.53 Rp 9,555

107.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.28 Rp 5,073

178.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-30.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.30 Rp 59.2K

-6.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.22 Rp 22.0K

-10.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

-8.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

68.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

64.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.10 Rp 127.3K

-38.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.28 Rp 58.9K

71.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.13 Rp 145.8K

9.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

-1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

33.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

6.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.46 Rp 8,187

93.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.39 Rp 6,934

115.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.53 Rp 45.4K

-9.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$16.85 Rp 302.0K

-36.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.77 Rp 31.8K

-32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.30 Rp 59.1K

-25.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.21 Rp 3,755

309.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$9.79 Rp 175.5K

322.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.47 Rp 8,428

212.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.31 Rp 5,574

532.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.19 Rp 75.0K

84.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

15.85%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$19.2K Rp 344.5M

-5.64%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$27.1K Rp 486.6M

-2.43%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

11.60%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$4.31 Rp 77.3K

120.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$19.59 Rp 351.1K

23.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$15.17 Rp 272.0K

70.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$3.05 Rp 54.7K

522.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.82 Rp 50.5K

39.36%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

326.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,468 Rp 80.1M

33.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$34.45 Rp 617.5K

70.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$30.38 Rp 544.6K

6.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$77.2 Rp 1.4M

32.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

31.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$194 Rp 3.5M

145.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$171 Rp 3.1M

121.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$782 Rp 14.0M

7.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$386 Rp 6.9M

87.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,652 Rp 29.6M

68.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$223 Rp 4.0M

443.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$213 Rp 3.8M

139.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.33

61.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yogyakarta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $194 in Yogyakarta. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $9.00 in Yogyakarta. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $190 in Yogyakarta – 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 Yogyakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $978 in Yogyakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yogyakarta, 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 $9.00 in Yogyakarta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $652 in Yogyakarta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yogyakarta, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Yogyakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yogyakarta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Yogyakarta. 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.