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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $613 per month in Sibolga vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $954 per month in Sibolga vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,296 per month in Sibolga vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Sibolga is about 41% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sibolga and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sibolga 54% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-74.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.21 Rp 210.7K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-62.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 Rp 59.3K

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-52.22%

Cappuccino

$1.68 Rp 29.0K

$1.70 COP 6,186

-1.18%

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

$0.52 Rp 8,912

$1.10 COP 3,996

-52.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 4,881

$0.72 COP 2,625

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 Rp 54.3K

$1.67 COP 6,067

88.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 Rp 44.1K

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-17.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 20.4K

$1.06 COP 3,837

11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.1K

$1.25 COP 4,531

-7.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.2K

$1.39 COP 5,060

-32.37%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 26.4K

$2.26 COP 8,229

-32.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 Rp 142.8K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

90.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 39.4K

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-60.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 Rp 150.6K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-1.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

$2.24 COP 8,159

4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 25.9K

$1.08 COP 3,911

38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

$1.53 COP 5,563

21.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

$1.37 COP 4,987

9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 Rp 12.1K

$1.13 COP 4,109

-38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 26.5K

$1.12 COP 4,067

36.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 16.3K

$0.85 COP 3,080

11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,651

$0.91 COP 3,305

-63.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 Rp 30.4K

$2.33 COP 8,477

-24.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.74 Rp 392.7K

$11.13 COP 40.5K

104.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 Rp 38.8K

$1.19 COP 4,342

89.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 Rp 39.2K

$2.37 COP 8,617

-4.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 Rp 7,750

$0.79 COP 2,859

-43.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 Rp 171.6K

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-75.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,179

$1.44 COP 5,223

-63.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 5,992

$1.91 COP 6,952

-81.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Rp 49.4K

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-64.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 Rp 17.8K

$0.94 COP 3,410

9.57%

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

$24.9K Rp 430.2M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

39.02%

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

$27.7K Rp 479.0M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

3.56%

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

$26.40 Rp 455.8K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-68.56%

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

$4.20 Rp 72.5K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-56.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 Rp 387.0K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-7.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.64 Rp 390.9K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-12.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 Rp 103.2K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-68.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 Rp 53.8K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

-20.41%

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

$24.44 Rp 421.9K

$306 COP 1.1M

-92.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,477 Rp 129.1M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

26.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.54 Rp 268.3K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-73.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.49 Rp 319.3K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-41.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 Rp 1.1M

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-34.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

$107 COP 389.7K

-32.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 Rp 4.5M

$487 COP 1.8M

-46.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.7M

$368 COP 1.3M

-56.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 Rp 10.3M

$826 COP 3.0M

-27.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 Rp 5.8M

$716 COP 2.6M

-53.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,202 Rp 20.8M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-58.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$767 Rp 13.2M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-45.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$546 COP 2.0M

-69.47%

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 Sibolga: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in Sibolga 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 228% 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 Sibolga versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Sibolga 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

Sibolga vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 69%, 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 $919 per month in Sibolga 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 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 $12.00 in Sibolga 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 $613 in Sibolga and $1,034 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 Sibolga, where all-in costs run around $613, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.