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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $668 per month in Timika vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,027 per month in Timika vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,386 per month in Timika vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Timika is about 34% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Timika and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Timika 50% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$5.95 COP 20.7K

-73.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.22 Rp 219.6K

$33.33 COP 116.1K

-63.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 59.6K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-54.22%

Cappuccino

$1.65 Rp 29.7K

$1.63 COP 5,676

1.23%

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

$0.51 Rp 9,132

$1.09 COP 3,813

-53.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,063

$0.73 COP 2,543

-61.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.74 COP 6,053

39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 Rp 64.6K

$3.23 COP 11.3K

11.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 22.2K

$1.05 COP 3,655

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

$1.29 COP 4,506

-8.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

$1.32 COP 4,608

-28.79%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.7K

$2.27 COP 7,912

-29.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 142.2K

$4.35 COP 15.1K

81.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-47.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 Rp 142.4K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-8.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.4K

$2.25 COP 7,828

7.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$1.07 COP 3,725

41.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.52 COP 5,311

17.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$1.42 COP 4,955

9.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.6K

$1.17 COP 4,076

17.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.9K

$1.17 COP 4,069

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

$0.89 COP 3,090

5.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,401

$0.90 COP 3,140

-54.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 Rp 43.4K

$2.25 COP 7,821

7.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.89 Rp 357.5K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

80.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 Rp 36.4K

$1.14 COP 3,969

77.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 Rp 57.7K

$2.38 COP 8,285

34.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,390

$0.84 COP 2,910

-64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.62 Rp 172.9K

$41.95 COP 146.1K

-77.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,411

$1.41 COP 4,902

-63.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,670

$1.90 COP 6,621

-80.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 Rp 52.7K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-62.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$1.01 COP 3,502

-22.77%

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

$24.3K Rp 437.3M

$17.6K COP 61.2M

38.38%

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

$27.8K Rp 499.6M

$26.5K COP 92.3M

4.90%

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

$68.8 Rp 1.2M

$83.7 COP 291.5K

-17.78%

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

$4.34 Rp 77.9K

$9.45 COP 32.9K

-54.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.71 Rp 408.3K

$24.11 COP 84.0K

-5.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 Rp 415.4K

$25.31 COP 88.2K

-8.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 Rp 107.5K

$19.14 COP 66.7K

-68.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 Rp 53.9K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-26.83%

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

$94.5 Rp 1.7M

$312 COP 1.1M

-69.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,541 Rp 135.5M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

25.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.03 Rp 737.6K

$58.0 COP 202.2K

-29.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.11 Rp 541.2K

$32.56 COP 113.4K

-7.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

$99.6 COP 347.0K

-33.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$109 COP 378.1K

-32.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 Rp 4.7M

$482 COP 1.7M

-46.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 Rp 2.9M

$379 COP 1.3M

-57.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 Rp 10.6M

$837 COP 2.9M

-29.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 Rp 6.1M

$723 COP 2.5M

-53.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,316 Rp 23.7M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-53.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$594 Rp 10.7M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-51.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $260 in Timika 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 Timika versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Timika 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

Timika vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 52%, 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 $1,003 per month in Timika and $1,525 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 $668 in Timika and $1,017 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 $668, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.