Cost of Living Comparison Between Pontianak and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Pontianak and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $666 per month in Pontianak vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,038 per month in Pontianak vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,409 per month in Pontianak vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Pontianak is about 36% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-74.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.48 Rp 216.3K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-61.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.16 Rp 54.8K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-56.11%

Cappuccino

$1.73 Rp 29.9K

$1.70 COP 6,140

1.76%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,476

$1.10 COP 3,966

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,460

$0.72 COP 2,605

-63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 Rp 53.9K

$1.67 COP 6,022

86.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 Rp 41.6K

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-22.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 21.2K

$1.06 COP 3,809

16.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

$1.25 COP 4,497

-8.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 16.0K

$1.39 COP 5,022

-33.81%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 27.4K

$2.26 COP 8,168

-30.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 Rp 139.5K

$4.33 COP 15.6K

85.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 Rp 56.1K

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-44.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 137.6K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-10.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 41.0K

$2.24 COP 8,099

5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

$1.08 COP 3,882

39.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

$1.53 COP 5,522

21.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.1K

$1.37 COP 4,950

9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

$1.13 COP 4,078

20.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 32.6K

$1.12 COP 4,036

67.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 15.6K

$0.85 COP 3,057

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,272

$0.91 COP 3,281

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 Rp 31.7K

$2.33 COP 8,414

-21.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.33 Rp 387.1K

$11.13 COP 40.2K

100.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 Rp 36.6K

$1.19 COP 4,309

77.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 Rp 53.5K

$2.37 COP 8,553

30.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,168

$0.79 COP 2,838

-62.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.68 Rp 167.7K

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-76.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,206

$1.44 COP 5,184

-63.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 5,944

$1.91 COP 6,901

-82.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 51.1K

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-63.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.94 COP 3,385

-10.64%

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

$24.5K Rp 424.0M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

36.49%

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

$27.1K Rp 470.1M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

1.23%

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

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-17.26%

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

$4.26 Rp 73.8K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-55.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.38 Rp 387.8K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-7.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.87 Rp 396.4K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-11.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.18 Rp 107.1K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-67.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 Rp 52.3K

$3.92 COP 14.1K

-23.21%

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

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

$306 COP 1.1M

-69.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,626 Rp 132.2M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

28.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.97 Rp 710.2K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-29.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.91 Rp 535.7K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-2.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 Rp 1.1M

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-33.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 Rp 1.3M

$107 COP 386.8K

-30.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.4M

$487 COP 1.8M

-47.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 Rp 2.7M

$368 COP 1.3M

-58.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 Rp 10.3M

$826 COP 3.0M

-27.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 Rp 5.7M

$716 COP 2.6M

-53.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,116 Rp 19.3M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-61.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$828 Rp 14.3M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-41.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 Rp 6.1M

$546 COP 2.0M

-34.99%

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 Pontianak: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Pontianak versus $487 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 54% 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 $12.00 in Pontianak versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Pontianak vs $190 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

Pontianak vs Medellin: 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 $999 per month in Pontianak and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pontianak, 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 $12.00 in Pontianak 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 $666 in Pontianak and $1,034 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 Pontianak, where all-in costs run around $666, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Pontianak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pontianak – 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 Pontianak. 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.