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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $662 per month in Pontianak vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,014 per month in Pontianak vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,367 per month in Pontianak vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Both Pontianak and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Pontianak 50% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-74.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 Rp 221.2K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-62.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.26 Rp 58.8K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-56.12%

Cappuccino

$1.71 Rp 30.8K

$1.65 COP 5,207

3.64%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,891

$1.10 COP 3,468

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,653

$0.78 COP 2,458

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 Rp 56.1K

$1.72 COP 5,412

80.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Rp 45.2K

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-21.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$1.10 COP 3,474

7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

$1.26 COP 3,962

-6.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

$1.38 COP 4,349

-31.16%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$2.18 COP 6,858

-30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.23 Rp 148.6K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

83.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 Rp 58.7K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-43.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 Rp 145.4K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-10.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

$2.32 COP 7,308

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 Rp 25.8K

$1.06 COP 3,352

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

$1.52 COP 4,774

19.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

$1.36 COP 4,270

9.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

$1.13 COP 3,552

23.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.6K

$1.17 COP 3,689

68.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 17.2K

$0.90 COP 2,838

5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,054

$0.90 COP 2,823

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 Rp 32.9K

$2.23 COP 7,034

-18.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.24 Rp 365.4K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

67.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 Rp 37.1K

$1.19 COP 3,743

72.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

$2.48 COP 7,815

26.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,856

$0.85 COP 2,687

-62.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.00 Rp 180.6K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-75.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,713

$1.42 COP 4,459

-61.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,712

$1.95 COP 6,141

-81.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Rp 51.5K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-63.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

$0.99 COP 3,118

-21.21%

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

$24.6K Rp 445.0M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

40.03%

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

$28.2K Rp 508.9M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

5.20%

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

$69.9 Rp 1.3M

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-15.84%

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

$4.27 Rp 77.1K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-55.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.46 Rp 405.6K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-4.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.15 Rp 417.9K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-8.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 Rp 110.5K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-67.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 Rp 56.3K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-21.01%

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

$91.6 Rp 1.7M

$316 COP 994.2K

-71.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,664 Rp 138.4M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

28.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.87 Rp 755.9K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-30.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.00 Rp 559.6K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-2.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 Rp 1.2M

$102 COP 320.1K

-33.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 Rp 1.4M

$107 COP 338.3K

-30.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 Rp 4.7M

$475 COP 1.5M

-45.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.8M

$374 COP 1.2M

-57.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 Rp 10.6M

$849 COP 2.7M

-31.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 Rp 6.1M

$719 COP 2.3M

-52.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,049 Rp 18.9M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-67.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$644 Rp 11.6M

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-55.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 Rp 6.1M

$624 COP 2.0M

-46.22%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Pontianak versus $475 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 86% 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 – $208 in Pontianak 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

Pontianak 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 $993 per month in Pontianak and $1,504 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 $662 in Pontianak and $1,003 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 $662, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.