Cost of Living Comparison Between Batu Kawan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Batu Kawan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $923 in Batu Kawan versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Batu Kawan versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,905 in Batu Kawan versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Batu Kawan costs roughly 9% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Batu Kawan 31% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.64 MYR 18.97

$5.93 COP 19.1K

-21.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 MYR 113

$33.12 COP 106.5K

-16.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.54

$7.12 COP 22.9K

-32.87%

Cappuccino

$3.14 MYR 12.82

$1.71 COP 5,484

83.63%

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

$0.87 MYR 3.54

$1.05 COP 3,373

-17.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.72 COP 2,323

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.13 MYR 16.90

$1.72 COP 5,529

140.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 MYR 23.51

$3.17 COP 10.2K

81.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MYR 5.70

$1.06 COP 3,425

31.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.30

$1.31 COP 4,213

-19.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 MYR 2.83

$1.33 COP 4,277

-48.12%

Eggs

$1.95 MYR 7.97

$2.28 COP 7,334

-14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.51 MYR 59.3

$4.42 COP 14.2K

228.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 MYR 18.52

$5.92 COP 19.0K

-23.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 MYR 38.91

$8.64 COP 27.8K

10.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.83

$2.34 COP 7,541

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.39

$1.10 COP 3,544

41.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.76

$1.47 COP 4,721

78.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.16

$1.38 COP 4,437

9.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.21

$1.17 COP 3,772

9.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.45

$1.17 COP 3,763

13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$0.90 COP 2,904

34.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MYR 2.61

$0.84 COP 2,707

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.45

$2.33 COP 7,486

83.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 MYR 76.0

$11.92 COP 38.3K

55.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.71

$1.15 COP 3,692

191.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MYR 18.03

$2.42 COP 7,787

82.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$0.84 COP 2,700

-17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.75 MYR 48.04

$40.83 COP 131.3K

-71.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 2.97

$1.41 COP 4,539

-48.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$1.91 COP 6,157

-41.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 MYR 18.82

$7.83 COP 25.2K

-41.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$0.94 COP 3,035

-45.74%

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

$30.3K MYR 123.8K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

69.99%

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

$32.9K MYR 134.3K

$27.1K COP 87.1M

21.32%

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

$65.4 MYR 267

$83.3 COP 267.8K

-21.49%

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

$11.32 MYR 46.28

$9.66 COP 31.1K

17.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.88 MYR 93.6

$24.22 COP 77.9K

-5.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 152

$25.22 COP 81.1K

47.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.81

$19.33 COP 62.2K

-69.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 MYR 14.24

$4.07 COP 13.1K

-14.50%

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

$263 MYR 1,075

$307 COP 986.0K

-14.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,305 MYR 38.0K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

55.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 MYR 249

$60.0 COP 192.8K

1.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 MYR 151

$32.65 COP 105.0K

13.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 MYR 351

$101 COP 325.1K

-15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 MYR 330

$108 COP 347.5K

-25.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,599

$476 COP 1.5M

-17.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,109

$379 COP 1.2M

-28.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,658

$816 COP 2.6M

-20.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 MYR 1,957

$707 COP 2.3M

-32.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,086 MYR 8,528

$3,190 COP 10.3M

-34.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,161 MYR 4,747

$1,446 COP 4.7M

-19.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,852 MYR 7,572

$622 COP 2.0M

197.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-70.22%

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

Last update for Batu Kawan: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Batu Kawan and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Batu Kawan pays 198% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Batu Kawan vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $253 vs $192, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Batu Kawan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Batu Kawan is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 198% higher in Batu Kawan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $391 in Batu Kawan versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $923 per month in Batu Kawan versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Batu Kawan runs roughly 247% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $923 in Batu Kawan versus $1,018 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Batu Kawan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Batu Kawan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Batu Kawan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Batu Kawan and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Batu Kawan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.