Cost of Living Comparison Between Timika and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Timika and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $654 per month in Timika vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,006 per month in Timika vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,359 per month in Timika vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Timika is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Timika and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Timika 51% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-73.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.09 Rp 218.5K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-63.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.32 Rp 60.1K

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-55.32%

Cappuccino

$1.65 Rp 29.8K

$1.65 COP 5,276

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

$0.51 Rp 9,212

$1.10 COP 3,514

-53.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,125

$0.78 COP 2,491

-64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 43.4K

$1.72 COP 5,484

39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 Rp 64.0K

$3.18 COP 10.1K

11.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

$1.10 COP 3,521

7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 21.2K

$1.26 COP 4,015

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

$1.38 COP 4,407

-32.61%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

$2.18 COP 6,950

-27.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 Rp 144.2K

$4.49 COP 14.3K

77.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 56.8K

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-45.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 Rp 141.3K

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-12.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.9K

$2.32 COP 7,405

2.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.3K

$1.06 COP 3,397

42.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.6K

$1.52 COP 4,838

18.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 28.0K

$1.36 COP 4,327

13.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.13 COP 3,599

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.17 COP 3,738

63.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 16.3K

$0.90 COP 2,876

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,091

$0.90 COP 2,861

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$2.23 COP 7,128

10.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 Rp 351.0K

$12.12 COP 38.7K

60.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 Rp 38.1K

$1.19 COP 3,793

77.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 Rp 55.4K

$2.48 COP 7,920

23.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,365

$0.85 COP 2,723

-64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.72 Rp 175.8K

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-76.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$1.42 COP 4,518

-59.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,779

$1.95 COP 6,223

-81.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-63.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 15.1K

$0.99 COP 3,160

-16.16%

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

$24.6K Rp 444.8M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

39.77%

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

$28.0K Rp 506.2M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

4.46%

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

$69.6 Rp 1.3M

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-16.18%

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

$4.34 Rp 78.5K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

-55.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 Rp 407.8K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-4.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.18 Rp 419.2K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-8.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.20 Rp 112.1K

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-67.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 Rp 54.6K

$3.95 COP 12.6K

-23.54%

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

$93.3 Rp 1.7M

$316 COP 1.0M

-70.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,621 Rp 137.8M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

27.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.17 Rp 744.4K

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-31.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.46 Rp 550.7K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-4.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 Rp 1.2M

$102 COP 324.4K

-33.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

$107 COP 342.8K

-32.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 Rp 4.7M

$475 COP 1.5M

-45.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.9M

$374 COP 1.2M

-57.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 Rp 10.7M

$849 COP 2.7M

-30.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 Rp 6.0M

$719 COP 2.3M

-53.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,194 Rp 21.6M

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-63.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$709 Rp 12.8M

$1,441 COP 4.6M

-50.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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 Timika: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $260 in Timika versus $475 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 Timika versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Timika vs $193 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

Timika vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 53%, 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 $982 per month in Timika and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Timika, 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 Timika 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 $654 in Timika and $1,003 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 Timika, where all-in costs run around $654, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Timika it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Timika – 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 Timika. 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.