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: $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in Bukit Mertajam versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 35% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bukit Mertajam 51% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-67.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.96 MYR 80.9

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-40.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 MYR 15.02

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-48.82%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 9.03

$1.63 COP 5,687

36.81%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$1.09 COP 3,821

-32.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.73 COP 2,548

-53.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MYR 12.74

$1.74 COP 6,065

80.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 MYR 19.04

$3.23 COP 11.3K

45.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.77

$1.05 COP 3,662

59.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.40

$1.29 COP 4,515

-15.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$1.32 COP 4,617

-57.58%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.68

$2.27 COP 7,927

-16.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.75 MYR 92.3

$4.35 COP 15.2K

422.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 MYR 20.42

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-14.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 MYR 42.28

$8.61 COP 30.0K

21.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 MYR 15.75

$2.25 COP 7,844

72.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$1.07 COP 3,733

64.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 14.10

$1.52 COP 5,322

128.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.77

$1.42 COP 4,964

87.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.12

$1.17 COP 4,084

50.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.04

$1.17 COP 4,077

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.52

$0.89 COP 3,096

24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.90 COP 3,146

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.57

$2.25 COP 7,837

92.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 MYR 76.7

$11.04 COP 38.5K

71.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 MYR 17.34

$1.14 COP 3,977

275.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MYR 10.59

$2.38 COP 8,301

9.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.84 COP 2,916

-17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 47.83

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-71.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$1.41 COP 4,912

-14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.59

$1.90 COP 6,634

-40.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 MYR 17.25

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-45.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.01 COP 3,509

-54.46%

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

$44.2K MYR 179.3K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

151.46%

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

$31.2K MYR 126.7K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

17.92%

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

$26.68 MYR 108

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-68.12%

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

$9.95 MYR 40.36

$9.45 COP 33.0K

5.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.90 MYR 117

$24.11 COP 84.1K

19.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 MYR 151

$25.31 COP 88.3K

47.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 MYR 23.99

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-69.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 MYR 16.85

$4.10 COP 14.3K

1.46%

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

$119 MYR 483

$312 COP 1.1M

-61.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,260 MYR 17.3K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-28.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.98 MYR 48.58

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-79.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.2 MYR 256

$32.56 COP 113.6K

94.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.23 MYR 94.2

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-76.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 MYR 317

$109 COP 378.8K

-27.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,584

$482 COP 1.7M

-19.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.8 MYR 238

$379 COP 1.3M

-84.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,662

$837 COP 2.9M

-21.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,936

$723 COP 2.5M

-33.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$990 MYR 4,016

$541 COP 1.9M

83.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

13.43

-70.51%

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

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Bukit Mertajam and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bukit Mertajam pays 83% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $190, 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

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

Bukit Mertajam and Medellin differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($661 vs $1,017 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bukit Mertajam pays 83% 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: $391 in Bukit Mertajam versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $661 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,017 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 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.