Cost of Living Comparison Between Sidoarjo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sidoarjo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $654 per month in Sidoarjo vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $995 per month in Sidoarjo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,336 per month in Sidoarjo vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Sidoarjo is about 36% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sidoarjo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sidoarjo 51% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sidoarjo
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.56 Rp 27.9K
$5.95 COP 20.8K
-73.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.08 Rp 216.4K
$33.33 COP 116.3K
-63.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.05 Rp 54.6K
$7.23 COP 25.2K
-57.81%
Cappuccino
$0.63 Rp 11.3K
$1.63 COP 5,687
-61.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,071
$1.09 COP 3,821
-53.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 Rp 5,046
$0.73 COP 2,548
-61.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.47 Rp 44.3K
$1.74 COP 6,065
41.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 Rp 70.0K
$3.23 COP 11.3K
21.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sidoarjo
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 Rp 25.7K
$1.05 COP 3,662
36.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 Rp 20.2K
$1.29 COP 4,515
-12.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.93 Rp 16.6K
$1.32 COP 4,617
-29.55%
Eggs
$1.49 Rp 26.8K
$2.27 COP 7,927
-34.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.47 Rp 169.6K
$4.35 COP 15.2K
117.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.63 Rp 47.1K
$5.88 COP 20.5K
-55.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.99 Rp 107.4K
$8.61 COP 30.0K
-30.43%
Apples (1kg)
$0.96 Rp 17.2K
$2.25 COP 7,844
-57.33%
Banana (1kg)
$0.58 Rp 10.4K
$1.07 COP 3,733
-45.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.77 Rp 13.8K
$1.52 COP 5,322
-49.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.64 Rp 11.4K
$1.42 COP 4,964
-54.93%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 Rp 14.7K
$1.17 COP 4,084
-29.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.14 Rp 20.4K
$1.17 COP 4,077
-2.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.32 Rp 5,752
$0.89 COP 3,096
-64.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 Rp 7,631
$0.90 COP 3,146
-52.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.17 Rp 38.9K
$2.25 COP 7,837
-3.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.30 Rp 435.4K
$11.04 COP 38.5K
120.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 Rp 32.2K
$1.14 COP 3,977
57.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 Rp 56.4K
$2.38 COP 8,301
32.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Sidoarjo
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 Rp 5,305
$0.84 COP 2,916
-64.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.01 Rp 179.4K
$41.95 COP 146.4K
-76.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,903
$1.41 COP 4,912
-68.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 Rp 5,583
$1.90 COP 6,634
-83.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 Rp 21.8K
$7.75 COP 27.0K
-84.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.8K
$1.01 COP 3,509
-17.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K Rp 376.5M
$17.6K COP 61.4M
19.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K Rp 620.1M
$26.5K COP 92.5M
30.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sidoarjo
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.6 Rp 1.5M
$83.7 COP 292.1K
-0.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.17 Rp 74.8K
$9.45 COP 33.0K
-55.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.45 Rp 223.0K
$24.11 COP 84.1K
-48.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sidoarjo
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.42 Rp 419.6K
$25.31 COP 88.3K
-7.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.00 Rp 107.6K
$19.14 COP 66.8K
-68.65%
Cinema Ticket
$2.88 Rp 51.7K
$4.10 COP 14.3K
-29.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sidoarjo
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$192 Rp 3.4M
$312 COP 1.1M
-38.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,550 Rp 171.1M
$5,993 COP 20.9M
59.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sidoarjo
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.9 Rp 1.1M
$58.0 COP 202.6K
6.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.38 Rp 687.6K
$32.56 COP 113.6K
17.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.3 Rp 1.4M
$99.6 COP 347.7K
-22.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.2 Rp 1.5M
$109 COP 378.8K
-23.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sidoarjo
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$256 Rp 4.6M
$482 COP 1.7M
-47.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$160 Rp 2.9M
$379 COP 1.3M
-57.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$591 Rp 10.6M
$837 COP 2.9M
-29.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$330 Rp 5.9M
$723 COP 2.5M
-54.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,187 Rp 21.3M
$2,840 COP 9.9M
-58.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$728 Rp 13.0M
$1,223 COP 4.3M
-40.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sidoarjo
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$541 COP 1.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.33
13.43
-37.97%

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

Last update for Sidoarjo: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $256 in Sidoarjo versus $482 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 $12.00 in Sidoarjo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $190 – making Sidoarjo 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
Sidoarjo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Sidoarjo?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $981 per month in Sidoarjo and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidoarjo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Sidoarjo or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Sidoarjo and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sidoarjo vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $654 in Sidoarjo and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Sidoarjo or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sidoarjo, where all-in costs run around $654, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Sidoarjo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sidoarjo or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sidoarjo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sidoarjo. 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.

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