Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibolga and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibolga and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $631 per month in Sibolga vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $990 per month in Sibolga vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,349 per month in Sibolga vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Sibolga is about 62% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sibolga sits 54% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.3K

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-79.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.83 Rp 243.5K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-71.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 57.3K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-65.50%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.6K

$2.94 COP 9,040

-48.64%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,443

$1.86 COP 5,735

-77.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,046

$1.46 COP 4,479

-84.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 Rp 40.2K

$3.21 COP 9,882

-28.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 Rp 61.6K

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-38.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 Rp 20.0K

$1.44 COP 4,428

-20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

$2.40 COP 7,389

-53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 Rp 14.4K

$1.70 COP 5,228

-51.76%

Eggs

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

$2.89 COP 8,896

-49.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 Rp 126.7K

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-28.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 Rp 53.6K

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-69.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 Rp 136.9K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-45.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.7K

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-41.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 22.7K

$1.58 COP 4,878

-18.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 Rp 31.0K

$2.15 COP 6,624

-18.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 21.8K

$2.30 COP 7,078

-46.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.2K

$2.00 COP 6,169

-37.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

$1.51 COP 4,646

27.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Rp 12.9K

$1.20 COP 3,701

-38.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,688

$1.28 COP 3,946

-65.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 Rp 46.5K

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-31.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.25 Rp 356.5K

$14.01 COP 43.1K

44.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.6K

$1.71 COP 5,256

8.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 Rp 51.8K

$2.74 COP 8,440

7.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,721

$1.25 COP 3,834

-78.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,260

$1.31 COP 4,016

-59.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,732

$2.17 COP 6,680

-84.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 Rp 50.0K

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-65.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.36 COP 4,172

-44.12%

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

$23.4K Rp 411.5M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-14.91%

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

$31.3K Rp 551.8M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-14.22%

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

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

$169 COP 519.2K

-58.82%

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

$4.48 Rp 78.9K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-66.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.05 Rp 335.5K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-32.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.58 Rp 362.4K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-54.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.69 Rp 153.0K

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-49.54%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-56.54%

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

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

$803 COP 2.5M

-88.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,787 Rp 137.1M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-15.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.61 Rp 767.8K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-50.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.17 Rp 531.2K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-49.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

$139 COP 427.5K

-47.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

$102 COP 314.0K

-28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 Rp 4.0M

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-78.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 Rp 2.7M

$653 COP 2.0M

-76.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 Rp 9.7M

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-71.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 Rp 6.4M

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-65.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,199 Rp 21.1M

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-70.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$669 Rp 11.8M

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-60.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

10.94

-13.53%

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

Last update for Sibolga: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $227 in Sibolga versus $1,071 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Sibolga versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $300 – making Sibolga 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

Sibolga vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 160%, 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 $947 per month in Sibolga and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sibolga, 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 $14.00 in Sibolga and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sibolga, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Sibolga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sibolga – 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 Sibolga. 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.