Cost of Living Comparison Between Butterworth and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Butterworth and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $919 per month in Butterworth vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,372 per month in Butterworth vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,825 per month in Butterworth vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Butterworth is about 45% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Butterworth sits 33% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-55.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.01 MYR 81.9

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-58.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.79

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-53.59%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.16

$3.13 COP 9,873

-5.11%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.21

$1.91 COP 6,019

-59.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$1.51 COP 4,763

-75.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 17.43

$3.12 COP 9,853

36.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.59

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-25.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 MYR 9.01

$1.44 COP 4,558

52.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.31

$2.49 COP 7,843

-57.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.91

$1.77 COP 5,595

-4.52%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.09

$2.96 COP 9,336

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 MYR 54.6

$10.07 COP 31.8K

32.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.16

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-56.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 MYR 35.69

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-39.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 MYR 11.45

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-32.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.80

$1.61 COP 5,073

3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 MYR 9.65

$2.25 COP 7,083

4.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.79

$2.25 COP 7,104

-36.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.54

$2.04 COP 6,444

-45.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.68

$1.54 COP 4,842

-25.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.53

$1.17 COP 3,691

-5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$1.31 COP 4,121

-58.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MYR 18.16

$3.90 COP 12.3K

13.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.9

$14.01 COP 44.2K

37.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.84

$1.74 COP 5,498

66.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 MYR 16.49

$2.87 COP 9,053

40.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.70

$1.22 COP 3,834

-45.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MYR 56.6

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-82.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$1.31 COP 4,129

-7.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.55

$2.19 COP 6,899

-82.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 MYR 19.58

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-45.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 MYR 3.16

$1.37 COP 4,306

-43.80%

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

$41.6K MYR 170.4K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

49.52%

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

$35.2K MYR 144.2K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-1.51%

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

$37.38 MYR 153

$177 COP 559.3K

-78.92%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.59

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-33.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.57 MYR 105

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-13.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.34 MYR 145

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-21.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.77 MYR 27.70

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-60.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 MYR 21.64

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-20.45%

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

$299 MYR 1,222

$813 COP 2.6M

-63.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

17.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 251

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-31.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 MYR 145

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-39.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MYR 339

$138 COP 435.9K

-40.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 MYR 285

$102 COP 322.1K

-31.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 MYR 1,712

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-60.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 MYR 1,440

$663 COP 2.1M

-46.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 MYR 3,020

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-60.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 2,021

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-51.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,040 MYR 8,351

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-51.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,102 MYR 4,510

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-34.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

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 Butterworth: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Butterworth versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Butterworth versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $305 – making Butterworth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Butterworth vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $919 in Butterworth, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 83% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,378 per month in Butterworth and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Butterworth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $919 in Butterworth and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 482% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Butterworth, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Butterworth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $919 in Butterworth to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Butterworth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.