Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $708 per month in Surabaya vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Surabaya vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,557 per month in Surabaya vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Surabaya is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Surabaya and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 47% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-74.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.12 Rp 218.6K

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-63.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-55.85%

Cappuccino

$1.82 Rp 32.7K

$1.71 COP 6,093

6.43%

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

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

$1.10 COP 3,910

-45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,648

$0.78 COP 2,771

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 43.5K

$1.68 COP 5,976

43.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 Rp 72.4K

$3.07 COP 10.9K

30.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 25.0K

$1.09 COP 3,892

26.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

$1.26 COP 4,492

15.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

$1.38 COP 4,905

-32.61%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

$2.19 COP 7,799

-34.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 Rp 163.1K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

105.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 Rp 59.4K

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-41.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 Rp 152.5K

$8.89 COP 31.6K

-4.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

$2.34 COP 8,319

3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

$1.06 COP 3,764

45.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

$1.50 COP 5,355

46.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.7K

$1.38 COP 4,906

2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

$1.15 COP 4,097

14.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$1.16 COP 4,141

55.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

$0.89 COP 3,170

32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,603

$0.84 COP 2,986

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 Rp 45.8K

$2.28 COP 8,116

11.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.78 Rp 446.9K

$10.64 COP 37.9K

132.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.8K

$1.20 COP 4,268

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 56.7K

$2.47 COP 8,793

27.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,572

$0.86 COP 3,045

-44.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.40 Rp 169.6K

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-77.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,997

$1.47 COP 5,245

-70.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,216

$1.96 COP 6,984

-85.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 Rp 50.0K

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-64.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

$0.95 COP 3,397

-11.58%

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

$20.6K Rp 372.2M

$18.1K COP 64.5M

13.82%

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

$35.8K Rp 645.7M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

35.18%

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

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

$82.3 COP 292.7K

3.17%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.7K

$9.50 COP 33.8K

-56.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.75 Rp 356.2K

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-18.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.59 Rp 389.4K

$25.89 COP 92.1K

-16.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.57 Rp 82.4K

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-75.95%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-27.48%

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

$188 Rp 3.4M

$309 COP 1.1M

-39.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,556 Rp 172.3M

$5,965 COP 21.2M

60.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

$58.7 COP 208.7K

4.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.56 Rp 695.3K

$32.35 COP 115.1K

19.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

$103 COP 365.1K

-24.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$108 COP 385.8K

-22.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 Rp 4.4M

$476 COP 1.7M

-49.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$379 COP 1.3M

-64.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 Rp 13.7M

$838 COP 3.0M

-9.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 Rp 7.1M

$724 COP 2.6M

-45.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,209 Rp 39.8M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-20.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,067 Rp 19.2M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-11.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 Rp 5.0M

$512 COP 1.8M

-46.17%

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 Surabaya: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Surabaya 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 86% 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 Surabaya versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Surabaya 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

Surabaya vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,062 per month in Surabaya 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 Surabaya, 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 Surabaya 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 $708 in Surabaya 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 Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Surabaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surabaya – 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 Surabaya. 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.