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: $818 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,794 in Bayan Lepas versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Bayan Lepas costs roughly 19% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bayan Lepas 39% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 MYR 14.09

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-40.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 MYR 74.0

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-43.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 16.59

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-41.04%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.06

$1.71 COP 6,115

63.16%

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

$0.75 MYR 2.98

$1.10 COP 3,924

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.27

$0.78 COP 2,781

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 MYR 18.75

$1.68 COP 5,997

181.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 MYR 19.01

$3.07 COP 11.0K

56.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 MYR 9.33

$1.09 COP 3,906

115.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MYR 3.65

$1.26 COP 4,508

-26.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.35

$1.38 COP 4,922

-2.17%

Eggs

$1.65 MYR 6.54

$2.19 COP 7,827

-24.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 MYR 58.5

$4.40 COP 15.7K

235.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 MYR 17.77

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-20.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 MYR 26.56

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-24.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.56

$2.34 COP 8,349

24.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.36

$1.06 COP 3,777

50.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.05

$1.50 COP 5,374

102.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.70

$1.38 COP 4,924

-13.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.10

$1.15 COP 4,111

-10.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.16

$1.16 COP 4,155

-9.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MYR 2.45

$0.89 COP 3,182

-30.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MYR 2.56

$0.84 COP 2,997

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.01 MYR 19.88

$2.28 COP 8,145

119.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.47 MYR 81.2

$10.64 COP 38.0K

92.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 10.82

$1.20 COP 4,284

127.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MYR 4.98

$2.47 COP 8,824

-48.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.63

$0.86 COP 3,056

-23.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.93 MYR 55.2

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-66.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 MYR 6.03

$1.47 COP 5,264

3.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$1.96 COP 7,009

-47.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 MYR 23.41

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-23.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 MYR 2.29

$0.95 COP 3,409

-38.95%

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

$34.8K MYR 138.0K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

92.00%

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

$29.8K MYR 118.1K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

12.42%

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

$33.46 MYR 133

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-59.32%

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

$11.05 MYR 43.81

$9.50 COP 33.9K

16.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.23 MYR 120

$24.23 COP 86.5K

24.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.42 MYR 125

$25.89 COP 92.4K

21.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.53 MYR 17.95

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-76.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 MYR 16.66

$3.93 COP 14.0K

6.87%

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

$233 MYR 922

$309 COP 1.1M

-24.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,064 MYR 28.0K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

18.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.61 MYR 149

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-35.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.50 MYR 101

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-21.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 MYR 248

$103 COP 366.4K

-38.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 MYR 317

$108 COP 387.2K

-26.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 MYR 757

$476 COP 1.7M

-59.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 MYR 845

$379 COP 1.4M

-43.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 MYR 1,897

$838 COP 3.0M

-42.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,256

$724 COP 2.6M

-21.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$999 MYR 3,961

$512 COP 1.8M

95.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

13.43

-75.43%

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

Last update for Bayan Lepas: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $191 in Bayan Lepas and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bayan Lepas pays 95% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Bayan Lepas vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $188, 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

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

Bayan Lepas and Medellin differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($818 vs $1,013 including rent). Bayan Lepas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bayan Lepas pays 95% more on average, 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: $191 in Bayan Lepas versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bayan Lepas runs roughly 197% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $233 in Bayan Lepas versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $818 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,013 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 24% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.