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: $805 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,299 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,793 in Bayan Lepas versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Bayan Lepas costs roughly 22% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bayan Lepas 40% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.79

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-41.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.5

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-41.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.91

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-43.73%

Cappuccino

$2.76 MYR 11.30

$1.72 COP 5,600

60.47%

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

$0.81 MYR 3.32

$1.05 COP 3,420

-22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.19

$0.77 COP 2,515

-29.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 MYR 18.95

$1.69 COP 5,488

173.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 MYR 18.71

$3.17 COP 10.3K

44.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 MYR 9.56

$1.05 COP 3,423

122.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MYR 3.44

$1.30 COP 4,236

-35.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.60

$1.40 COP 4,544

-2.14%

Eggs

$1.68 MYR 6.87

$2.16 COP 7,047

-22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.56 MYR 59.6

$4.39 COP 14.3K

231.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.40 MYR 18.00

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-25.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 MYR 26.18

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-25.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MYR 12.31

$2.28 COP 7,426

32.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MYR 6.32

$1.11 COP 3,604

39.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 12.00

$1.53 COP 4,983

91.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$1.35 COP 4,410

-14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 4.04

$1.13 COP 3,674

-12.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.09

$1.13 COP 3,692

-11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MYR 2.53

$0.85 COP 2,753

-27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MYR 2.63

$0.91 COP 2,975

-29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 MYR 20.57

$2.34 COP 7,630

114.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.86 MYR 81.2

$12.37 COP 40.3K

60.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 11.20

$1.20 COP 3,909

128.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MYR 5.32

$2.49 COP 8,104

-47.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MYR 2.73

$0.84 COP 2,728

-20.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.26 MYR 58.3

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-64.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 MYR 6.38

$1.42 COP 4,623

9.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.23

$1.92 COP 6,235

-46.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 MYR 23.96

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-23.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 MYR 2.20

$0.99 COP 3,223

-45.45%

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

$35.8K MYR 146.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

98.69%

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

$29.3K MYR 119.9K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

10.12%

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

$33.42 MYR 137

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-58.64%

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

$11.19 MYR 45.76

$9.95 COP 32.4K

12.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.07 MYR 123

$24.18 COP 78.7K

24.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.57 MYR 129

$25.08 COP 81.7K

25.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.45 MYR 18.18

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-76.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 MYR 16.80

$3.98 COP 13.0K

3.27%

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

$231 MYR 945

$305 COP 993.5K

-24.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,935 MYR 28.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

14.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.32 MYR 157

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-34.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 MYR 108

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-18.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 MYR 253

$101 COP 327.9K

-38.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 MYR 322

$108 COP 350.8K

-26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$185 MYR 757

$477 COP 1.6M

-61.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 MYR 866

$376 COP 1.2M

-43.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,948

$845 COP 2.7M

-43.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 MYR 2,298

$730 COP 2.4M

-23.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$971 MYR 3,972

$617 COP 2.0M

57.46%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $185 in Bayan Lepas and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bayan Lepas pays 57% 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 $242 vs $193, 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 28% in total monthly costs ($805 vs $1,031 including rent). Bayan Lepas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% 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: $185 in Bayan Lepas versus $477 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 185% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $231 in Bayan Lepas versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $805 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,031 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 28% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.