Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayan Lepas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayan Lepas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $740 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Bayan Lepas versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,717 in Bayan Lepas versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Bayan Lepas costs roughly 55% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayan Lepas is 46% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 MYR 12.49

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-61.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.15 MYR 69.8

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-64.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 MYR 16.23

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-57.64%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.49

$2.94 COP 9,040

-4.08%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.46

$1.86 COP 5,735

-54.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MYR 2.42

$1.46 COP 4,479

-58.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 MYR 19.42

$3.21 COP 9,882

48.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.45

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-11.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 MYR 10.19

$1.44 COP 4,428

73.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.22

$2.40 COP 7,389

-56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.40

$1.70 COP 5,228

-50.59%

Eggs

$1.97 MYR 8.00

$2.89 COP 8,896

-31.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.84

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-65.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 MYR 27.42

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-52.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.52

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-22.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.90

$1.58 COP 4,878

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 MYR 12.63

$2.15 COP 6,624

44.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.85

$2.30 COP 7,078

-48.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$2.00 COP 6,169

-34.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.51 COP 4,646

-16.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$1.20 COP 3,701

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.74

$1.28 COP 3,946

-47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.31 MYR 21.62

$3.84 COP 11.8K

38.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.72 MYR 80.2

$14.01 COP 43.1K

40.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.68

$1.25 COP 3,834

-47.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.64 MYR 59.5

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-81.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 MYR 6.70

$1.31 COP 4,016

25.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 MYR 2.56

$1.36 COP 4,172

-53.68%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$24.48 MYR 99.6

$169 COP 519.2K

-85.49%

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

$11.58 MYR 47.09

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-14.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.37 MYR 128

$28.32 COP 87.2K

10.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.95 MYR 122

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-34.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 MYR 30.44

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-56.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MYR 20.14

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-25.56%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.98 MYR 163

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-54.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.48 MYR 112

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-53.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 MYR 267

$139 COP 427.5K

-52.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 MYR 334

$102 COP 314.0K

-19.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 MYR 798

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-81.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 916

$653 COP 2.0M

-65.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 MYR 2,017

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-74.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 MYR 2,392

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-43.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$991 MYR 4,031

$655 COP 2.0M

51.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

10.94

-68.01%

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

Last update for Bayan Lepas: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in Bayan Lepas and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bayan Lepas pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17.00 in Bayan Lepas vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $300 per month, with Bayan Lepas cheaper across the board.

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

Bayan Lepas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bayan Lepas and Medellin differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($740 vs $1,641 including rent). Bayan Lepas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 51% higher in Bayan Lepas, 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: $196 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayan Lepas – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Bayan Lepas runs roughly 432% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $740 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bayan Lepas but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bayan Lepas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bayan Lepas 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 Bayan Lepas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.