Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $671 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $972 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,273 per month in Pekanbaru vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Pekanbaru is about 34% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-73.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.16 Rp 163.6K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-72.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.43 Rp 43.3K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-65.73%

Cappuccino

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

$1.71 COP 6,115

-21.05%

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

$0.50 Rp 8,881

$1.10 COP 3,924

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,259

$0.78 COP 2,781

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

$1.68 COP 5,997

31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

$3.07 COP 11.0K

7.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

$1.09 COP 3,906

24.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.26 COP 4,508

-4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

$1.38 COP 4,922

-28.99%

Eggs

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

$2.19 COP 7,827

-21.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.17 Rp 306.6K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

290.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-53.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 Rp 181.5K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

14.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 Rp 51.4K

$2.34 COP 8,349

23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

$1.06 COP 3,777

58.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$1.50 COP 5,374

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$1.38 COP 4,924

-30.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.15 COP 4,111

-12.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.8K

$1.16 COP 4,155

43.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$0.89 COP 3,182

68.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,024

$0.84 COP 2,997

-46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

$2.28 COP 8,145

-1.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.07 Rp 376.3K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

98.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 50.0K

$1.20 COP 4,284

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 Rp 72.8K

$2.47 COP 8,824

65.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,261

$0.86 COP 3,056

-66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-78.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

$1.47 COP 5,264

-40.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 Rp 7,814

$1.96 COP 7,009

-77.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-72.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.95 COP 3,409

-18.95%

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

$22.7K Rp 405.1M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

25.12%

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

$25.7K Rp 459.7M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-2.80%

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

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-15.73%

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

$6.73 Rp 120.2K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-29.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.30 Rp 505.4K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

16.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.12 Rp 412.8K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-10.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 Rp 218.7K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-35.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 58.7K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-16.28%

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

$175 Rp 3.1M

$309 COP 1.1M

-43.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,092 Rp 55.2M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-48.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.33 Rp 613.1K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-41.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 Rp 646.2K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

11.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 Rp 1.2M

$103 COP 366.4K

-36.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

$108 COP 387.2K

-29.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.6M

$476 COP 1.7M

-45.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 Rp 2.2M

$379 COP 1.4M

-68.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 Rp 16.2M

$838 COP 3.0M

8.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.7M

$724 COP 2.6M

-78.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,026 Rp 18.3M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-63.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$722 Rp 12.9M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-40.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 Rp 3.4M

$512 COP 1.8M

-62.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.43

-31.87%

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

Last update for Pekanbaru: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Pekanbaru versus $476 in Medellin. 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 169% 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 $9.00 in Pekanbaru versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Pekanbaru vs $188 in Medellin – 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

Pekanbaru vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 51%, 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 $1,007 per month in Pekanbaru and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pekanbaru, 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 $9.00 in Pekanbaru and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $671 in Pekanbaru and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pekanbaru, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Pekanbaru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pekanbaru – 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 Pekanbaru. 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.