Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $644 per month in Semarang vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,036 per month in Semarang vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,429 per month in Semarang vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Semarang is about 37% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Semarang and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Semarang 52% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-70.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.50 Rp 224.6K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-61.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-50.41%

Cappuccino

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

$1.72 COP 5,599

-15.12%

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

$0.48 Rp 8,703

$1.05 COP 3,420

-54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,829

$0.77 COP 2,515

-64.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 Rp 36.1K

$1.69 COP 5,487

18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-8.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

$1.05 COP 3,423

1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

$1.30 COP 4,236

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$1.40 COP 4,544

-38.57%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

$2.16 COP 7,046

-26.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 Rp 110.1K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

39.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 50.6K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-52.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 Rp 152.4K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-1.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 Rp 46.6K

$2.28 COP 7,425

14.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

$1.11 COP 3,603

44.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 35.1K

$1.53 COP 4,982

27.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$1.35 COP 4,410

16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 22.2K

$1.13 COP 3,674

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

$1.13 COP 3,692

64.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.85 COP 2,753

2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,269

$0.91 COP 2,975

-56.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 Rp 41.2K

$2.34 COP 7,629

-2.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 Rp 243.1K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

9.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 Rp 46.0K

$1.20 COP 3,909

113.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$2.49 COP 8,104

13.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,710

$0.84 COP 2,727

-69.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.96 Rp 232.9K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-68.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

$1.42 COP 4,623

-38.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,572

$1.92 COP 6,235

-83.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 Rp 51.5K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-62.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.99 COP 3,223

-19.19%

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

$24.8K Rp 445.4M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

37.46%

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

$30.4K Rp 546.4M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

14.19%

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

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

$80.8 COP 263.1K

14.73%

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

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-72.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.45 Rp 421.5K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-3.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.69 Rp 425.7K

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-5.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.24 Rp 94.1K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-72.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 54.8K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-23.37%

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

$44.58 Rp 801.1K

$305 COP 993.4K

-85.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,388 Rp 42.9M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-60.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.26 Rp 651.6K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-37.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 Rp 580.6K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 Rp 1.2M

$101 COP 327.9K

-33.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.45 Rp 780.8K

$108 COP 350.8K

-59.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.6M

$477 COP 1.6M

-46.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 Rp 2.7M

$376 COP 1.2M

-59.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.8M

$845 COP 2.7M

-35.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 Rp 7.5M

$730 COP 2.4M

-42.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,179 Rp 21.2M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-63.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 Rp 9.8M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-60.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 Rp 3.4M

$617 COP 2.0M

-69.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.83

13.43

-41.70%

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

Last update for Semarang: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Semarang 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 227% 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 Semarang versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $193 – making Semarang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Semarang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $966 per month in Semarang 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 Semarang, 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 Semarang 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 $644 in Semarang 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 Semarang, where all-in costs run around $644, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Semarang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Semarang – 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 Semarang. 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.