Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $583 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $933 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,283 in Bukit Mertajam versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 65% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bukit Mertajam is 57% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 14.20

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-56.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.02 MYR 86.0

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-56.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 MYR 20.04

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-50.46%

Cappuccino

$2.67 MYR 10.91

$3.13 COP 9,873

-14.70%

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

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$1.91 COP 6,019

-57.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$1.51 COP 4,763

-78.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 MYR 9.96

$3.12 COP 9,853

-22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 18.14

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-22.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 MYR 8.83

$1.44 COP 4,558

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.40

$2.49 COP 7,843

-57.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$1.77 COP 5,595

-1.13%

Eggs

$2.58 MYR 10.55

$2.96 COP 9,336

-12.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 MYR 64.0

$10.07 COP 31.8K

55.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 MYR 19.89

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-51.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 MYR 41.02

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-29.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 MYR 9.55

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-43.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.10

$1.61 COP 5,073

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 9.20

$2.25 COP 7,083

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$2.25 COP 7,104

-46.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 MYR 3.54

$2.04 COP 6,444

-57.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MYR 3.26

$1.54 COP 4,842

-48.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MYR 2.91

$1.17 COP 3,691

-39.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$1.31 COP 4,121

-51.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 MYR 18.19

$3.90 COP 12.3K

14.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.98 MYR 77.7

$14.01 COP 44.2K

35.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 MYR 9.95

$1.74 COP 5,498

39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 MYR 15.54

$2.87 COP 9,053

32.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$1.31 COP 4,129

-6.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$2.19 COP 6,899

-77.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 MYR 20.40

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-42.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 MYR 3.34

$1.37 COP 4,306

-40.15%

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

$42.3K MYR 173.2K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

51.98%

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

$35.2K MYR 144.0K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-1.65%

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

$50.8 MYR 208

$177 COP 559.3K

-71.34%

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

$8.67 MYR 35.49

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-37.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 MYR 128

$29.72 COP 93.8K

5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.57 MYR 18.72

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-31.28%

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

$242 MYR 989

$813 COP 2.6M

-70.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,890 MYR 20.0K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-46.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 MYR 220

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-39.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.48 MYR 141

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-41.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 MYR 297

$138 COP 435.9K

-47.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 MYR 398

$102 COP 322.1K

-4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 MYR 2,270

$678 COP 2.1M

-18.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

10.94

-61.61%

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

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $21.00 in Bukit Mertajam vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $305 per month, with Bukit Mertajam 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

Bukit Mertajam vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bukit Mertajam and Medellin differ by about 188% in total monthly costs ($583 vs $1,681 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $583 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 188% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $583 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam 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, Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.