Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarinda and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarinda and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $695 per month in Samarinda vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,072 per month in Samarinda vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,448 per month in Samarinda vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Samarinda is about 31% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Samarinda and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Samarinda 48% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-73.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.05 Rp 215.2K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-63.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 Rp 106.1K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-16.22%

Cappuccino

$1.72 Rp 30.7K

$1.71 COP 6,115

0.58%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,754

$1.10 COP 3,924

-55.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 Rp 6,927

$0.78 COP 2,781

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 Rp 44.5K

$1.68 COP 5,997

48.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 Rp 63.3K

$3.07 COP 11.0K

15.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.09 COP 3,906

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

$1.26 COP 4,508

-25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.38 COP 4,922

-47.83%

Eggs

$1.54 Rp 27.5K

$2.19 COP 7,827

-29.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 Rp 148.2K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

88.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 Rp 69.9K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-30.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 Rp 199.5K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

25.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.75 Rp 102.6K

$2.34 COP 8,349

145.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

$1.06 COP 3,777

15.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

$1.50 COP 5,374

-19.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 29.3K

$1.38 COP 4,924

18.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.15 COP 4,111

30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.8K

$1.16 COP 4,155

77.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$0.89 COP 3,182

5.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 9,975

$0.84 COP 2,997

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.27 Rp 40.5K

$2.28 COP 8,145

-0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.69 Rp 369.5K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

94.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 37.8K

$1.20 COP 4,284

76.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 Rp 56.0K

$2.47 COP 8,824

26.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,749

$0.86 COP 3,056

-62.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.79 Rp 174.8K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-76.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 Rp 17.1K

$1.47 COP 5,264

-34.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,749

$1.96 COP 7,009

-80.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-61.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

$0.95 COP 3,409

-33.68%

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

$24.6K Rp 439.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

35.76%

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

$28.0K Rp 500.0M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

5.72%

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

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-14.57%

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

$4.24 Rp 75.8K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-55.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.90 Rp 408.9K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-5.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.93 Rp 409.4K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-11.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.14 Rp 109.6K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-67.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 Rp 53.5K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-23.66%

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

$92.2 Rp 1.6M

$309 COP 1.1M

-70.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,444 Rp 132.9M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

24.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.15 Rp 734.8K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-29.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.26 Rp 558.3K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-3.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

$103 COP 366.4K

-35.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

$108 COP 387.2K

-32.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.7M

$476 COP 1.7M

-45.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.8M

$379 COP 1.4M

-58.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 Rp 10.6M

$838 COP 3.0M

-28.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 Rp 6.0M

$724 COP 2.6M

-53.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,151 Rp 20.6M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-58.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$652 Rp 11.6M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-46.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$330 Rp 5.9M

$512 COP 1.8M

-35.55%

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 Samarinda: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Samarinda 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 55% 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 Samarinda versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Samarinda 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

Samarinda vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 46%, 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 $1,042 per month in Samarinda 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 Samarinda, 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 Samarinda 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 $695 in Samarinda and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Samarinda, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Samarinda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samarinda – 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 Samarinda. 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.