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 $647 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,003 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,360 per month in Alor Setar vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Alor Setar is about 37% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Alor Setar and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Alor Setar 52% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 MYR 9.50

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-59.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.59 MYR 45.78

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-64.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 16.50

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-41.94%

Cappuccino

$1.68 MYR 6.65

$1.70 COP 6,186

-1.18%

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

$0.55 MYR 2.17

$1.10 COP 3,996

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.15

$0.72 COP 2,625

-59.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 MYR 13.81

$1.67 COP 6,067

109.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 MYR 9.22

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-24.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MYR 6.43

$1.06 COP 3,837

53.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 MYR 3.46

$1.25 COP 4,531

-29.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.60

$1.39 COP 5,060

-16.55%

Eggs

$1.46 MYR 5.78

$2.26 COP 8,229

-35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MYR 47.22

$4.33 COP 15.8K

175.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 11.77

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-48.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 MYR 32.14

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-7.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.24

$2.24 COP 8,159

26.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.07

$1.08 COP 3,911

-4.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.46

$1.53 COP 5,563

-9.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MYR 8.56

$1.37 COP 4,987

58.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 MYR 3.77

$1.13 COP 4,109

-15.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.12 COP 4,067

-55.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MYR 2.67

$0.85 COP 3,080

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.91 COP 3,305

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 MYR 11.11

$2.33 COP 8,477

20.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 MYR 34.38

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-21.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MYR 4.72

$1.19 COP 4,342

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MYR 8.13

$2.37 COP 8,617

-13.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$0.79 COP 2,859

-12.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.86 MYR 46.85

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-71.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.74

$1.44 COP 5,223

-52.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.01

$1.91 COP 6,952

-73.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 MYR 28.60

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-9.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.94 COP 3,410

-50.00%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.4K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

87.08%

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

$27.3K MYR 108.0K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

2.04%

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

$37.96 MYR 150

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-54.79%

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

$6.91 MYR 27.29

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-28.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.40 MYR 108

$24.16 COP 87.9K

13.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 MYR 145

$25.88 COP 94.1K

42.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 MYR 37.17

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-50.58%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.10

$3.92 COP 14.2K

-28.32%

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

$80.9 MYR 319

$306 COP 1.1M

-73.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,317 MYR 21.0K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-10.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.55 MYR 188

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-17.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 MYR 115

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-8.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 MYR 244

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-38.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.8 MYR 209

$107 COP 389.7K

-50.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 MYR 1,153

$487 COP 1.8M

-40.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MYR 687

$368 COP 1.3M

-52.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 MYR 1,752

$826 COP 3.0M

-46.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MYR 1,327

$716 COP 2.6M

-53.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 MYR 8,035

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-30.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$967 MYR 3,819

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-31.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,133 MYR 4,477

$546 COP 2.0M

107.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

13.43

-69.02%

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

Last update for Alor Setar: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $292 in Alor Setar versus $487 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 108% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $190 – 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 60% more than Alor Setar, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $970 per month in Alor Setar and $1,550 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 $80.9 per month in Alor Setar and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $647, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $647 versus $1,034 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.