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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $679 per month in Timika vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,041 per month in Timika vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,402 per month in Timika vs $2,143 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 49% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 26.8K

$5.92 COP 21.2K

-73.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.34 Rp 212.0K

$33.17 COP 118.7K

-62.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 Rp 58.4K

$7.25 COP 25.9K

-53.10%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 29.9K

$1.71 COP 6,137

1.75%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,380

$1.09 COP 3,915

-49.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,453

$0.77 COP 2,743

-66.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 41.6K

$1.75 COP 6,254

38.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 Rp 60.8K

$3.18 COP 11.4K

11.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 20.9K

$1.06 COP 3,792

15.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 19.5K

$1.30 COP 4,657

-12.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 14.9K

$1.38 COP 4,926

-36.96%

Eggs

$1.55 Rp 26.6K

$2.21 COP 7,908

-29.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 Rp 138.3K

$4.52 COP 16.2K

78.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 55.6K

$5.80 COP 20.7K

-44.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 Rp 132.6K

$8.97 COP 32.1K

-13.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 40.8K

$2.29 COP 8,182

3.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 25.5K

$1.06 COP 3,791

39.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 30.7K

$1.51 COP 5,411

17.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 26.8K

$1.36 COP 4,869

14.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$1.16 COP 4,146

18.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 32.1K

$1.17 COP 4,174

59.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 16.3K

$0.83 COP 2,960

14.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,684

$0.85 COP 3,043

-47.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 43.3K

$2.35 COP 8,423

7.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.41 Rp 436.7K

$11.09 COP 39.7K

129.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 Rp 35.8K

$1.15 COP 4,133

80.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 Rp 55.2K

$2.47 COP 8,853

29.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,107

$0.79 COP 2,827

-62.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 Rp 173.9K

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-75.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 9,868

$1.44 COP 5,140

-60.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 5,954

$1.90 COP 6,793

-81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$7.70 COP 27.6K

-62.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.2K

$1.03 COP 3,680

-19.42%

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

$24.5K Rp 420.4M

$17.7K COP 63.3M

38.33%

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

$27.2K Rp 467.3M

$27.0K COP 96.7M

0.64%

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

$70.7 Rp 1.2M

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-13.17%

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

$4.18 Rp 71.8K

$9.42 COP 33.7K

-55.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.68 Rp 389.8K

$23.77 COP 85.1K

-4.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.25 Rp 399.6K

$25.86 COP 92.6K

-10.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.27 Rp 107.8K

$19.34 COP 69.2K

-67.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 Rp 51.7K

$4.05 COP 14.5K

-25.68%

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

$92.9 Rp 1.6M

$312 COP 1.1M

-70.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,436 Rp 127.8M

$6,067 COP 21.7M

22.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.48 Rp 712.9K

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-29.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.97 Rp 532.2K

$32.82 COP 117.5K

-5.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

$100 COP 359.6K

-33.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$106 COP 380.3K

-29.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 Rp 4.4M

$490 COP 1.8M

-48.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 Rp 2.7M

$371 COP 1.3M

-58.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 Rp 10.1M

$838 COP 3.0M

-29.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 Rp 5.7M

$715 COP 2.6M

-53.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,053 Rp 18.1M

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-64.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$733 Rp 12.6M

$1,394 COP 5.0M

-47.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $254 in Timika versus $490 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 in Timika versus $33 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $217 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 $1,019 per month in Timika and $1,544 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 $679 in Timika and $1,030 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 $679, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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.