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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $681 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $970 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,258 per month in Pekanbaru vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Pekanbaru is about 34% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pekanbaru and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Pekanbaru 49% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-74.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.68 Rp 155.6K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-73.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.49 Rp 44.7K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-66.08%

Cappuccino

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

$1.72 COP 5,600

-17.44%

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

$0.47 Rp 8,369

$1.05 COP 3,420

-55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,666

$0.77 COP 2,515

-66.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 Rp 38.4K

$1.69 COP 5,488

26.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

8.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.05 COP 3,423

27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.30 COP 4,236

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

$1.40 COP 4,544

-27.14%

Eggs

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

$2.16 COP 7,047

-17.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.88 Rp 302.8K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

284.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 46.9K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-55.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 Rp 186.6K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

20.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

$2.28 COP 7,426

29.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

$1.11 COP 3,604

50.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 36.1K

$1.53 COP 4,983

31.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

$1.35 COP 4,410

-34.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

$1.13 COP 3,674

-11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 28.8K

$1.13 COP 3,692

42.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$0.85 COP 2,753

85.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,385

$0.91 COP 2,975

-54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 41.2K

$2.34 COP 7,630

-1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.82 Rp 355.6K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

60.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.20 COP 3,909

128.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 Rp 69.5K

$2.49 COP 8,104

55.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,301

$0.84 COP 2,728

-64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.33 Rp 167.4K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-77.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

$1.42 COP 4,623

-37.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 Rp 7,206

$1.92 COP 6,235

-79.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-71.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$0.99 COP 3,223

-22.22%

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

$23.2K Rp 415.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

28.48%

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

$25.5K Rp 456.6M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-4.40%

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

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-13.03%

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

$6.58 Rp 118.0K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-33.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.97 Rp 501.7K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

15.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.15 Rp 415.3K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-7.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.41 Rp 222.6K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-35.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.21 Rp 57.5K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-19.35%

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

$174 Rp 3.1M

$305 COP 993.5K

-42.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,096 Rp 55.5M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-48.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.18 Rp 613.1K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-41.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.35 Rp 652.1K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

$101 COP 327.9K

-34.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.4M

$108 COP 350.8K

-29.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$477 COP 1.6M

-46.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$122 Rp 2.2M

$376 COP 1.2M

-67.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 Rp 16.7M

$845 COP 2.7M

10.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 Rp 2.7M

$730 COP 2.4M

-79.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,135 Rp 20.4M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-64.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$699 Rp 12.5M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-49.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 Rp 3.2M

$617 COP 2.0M

-70.66%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Pekanbaru versus $477 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 241% 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 – $247 in Pekanbaru vs $193 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 Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,021 per month in Pekanbaru and $1,546 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 $681 in Pekanbaru and $1,031 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 $681, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.