Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $900 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,300 per month in Alor Setar vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,701 per month in Alor Setar vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Alor Setar is about 46% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Alor Setar sits 34% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 MYR 8.06

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-75.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.06 MYR 49.24

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-74.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.88

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-58.24%

Cappuccino

$1.84 MYR 7.50

$3.13 COP 9,767

-41.21%

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

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$1.91 COP 5,954

-72.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.23

$1.51 COP 4,712

-80.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 MYR 10.14

$3.12 COP 9,747

-20.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 18.18

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-22.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MYR 6.73

$1.44 COP 4,509

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 MYR 3.50

$2.49 COP 7,759

-65.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.16

$1.77 COP 5,535

-1.13%

Eggs

$1.58 MYR 6.43

$2.96 COP 9,235

-46.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.74 MYR 64.3

$10.07 COP 31.4K

56.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 MYR 19.86

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-51.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 MYR 39.42

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-32.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.58

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-43.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.12

$1.61 COP 5,019

-22.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 MYR 9.11

$2.25 COP 7,007

-0.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$2.25 COP 7,028

-44.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$2.04 COP 6,375

-55.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 MYR 3.51

$1.54 COP 4,790

-44.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$1.17 COP 3,651

-35.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$1.31 COP 4,077

-51.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.23

$3.90 COP 12.2K

14.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.56 MYR 88.0

$14.01 COP 43.7K

53.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 MYR 9.93

$1.74 COP 5,439

39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MYR 14.92

$2.87 COP 8,956

27.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 MYR 3.44

$1.22 COP 3,792

-31.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.93 MYR 52.8

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-83.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.93

$1.31 COP 4,084

-7.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.10

$2.19 COP 6,825

-76.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 MYR 27.35

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-23.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$1.37 COP 4,260

-64.23%

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

$41.1K MYR 167.8K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

47.68%

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

$28.4K MYR 116.1K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-20.52%

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

$50.3 MYR 205

$177 COP 553.2K

-71.65%

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

$7.55 MYR 30.81

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-45.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.36 MYR 91.3

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-24.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.09 MYR 164

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-10.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.44 MYR 26.29

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-62.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 MYR 18.79

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-30.83%

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

$172 MYR 701

$813 COP 2.5M

-78.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,850 MYR 19.8K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-47.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 MYR 218

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-40.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.27 MYR 144

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-40.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 MYR 301

$138 COP 431.2K

-46.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 MYR 281

$102 COP 318.7K

-32.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,513

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-65.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 MYR 1,270

$663 COP 2.1M

-53.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 MYR 2,532

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-67.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 MYR 2,294

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-45.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,071 MYR 8,456

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-50.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,240 MYR 5,062

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-25.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,609 MYR 6,569

$678 COP 2.1M

137.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

10.94

-59.51%

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

Last update for Alor Setar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $371 in Alor Setar versus $1,062 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 137% higher in Alor Setar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Alor Setar versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $305 – making Alor Setar 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

Alor Setar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 87% more than Alor Setar, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,350 per month in Alor Setar and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alor Setar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $172 per month in Alor Setar and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alor Setar, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Alor Setar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alor Setar costs $900 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Alor Setar. 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.