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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $853 per month in Butterworth vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,328 per month in Butterworth vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Butterworth vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Butterworth is about 16% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Butterworth and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Butterworth 36% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 MYR 12.01

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-49.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.48 MYR 85.2

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-34.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 18.93

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-32.58%

Cappuccino

$2.87 MYR 11.39

$1.71 COP 6,115

67.84%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.92

$1.10 COP 3,924

-32.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.45

$0.78 COP 2,781

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 16.74

$1.68 COP 5,997

151.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MYR 17.70

$3.07 COP 11.0K

45.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.42

$1.09 COP 3,906

71.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.12

$1.26 COP 4,508

-17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.87

$1.38 COP 4,922

25.36%

Eggs

$2.08 MYR 8.24

$2.19 COP 7,827

-5.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 MYR 58.5

$4.40 COP 15.7K

235.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 MYR 18.95

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-15.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 MYR 38.31

$8.89 COP 31.8K

8.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 MYR 11.17

$2.34 COP 8,349

20.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 5.92

$1.06 COP 3,777

40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 10.81

$1.50 COP 5,374

82.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.79

$1.38 COP 4,924

5.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.72

$1.15 COP 4,111

3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.68

$1.16 COP 4,155

1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.76

$0.89 COP 3,182

6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.84 COP 2,997

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 MYR 16.96

$2.28 COP 8,145

87.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.51 MYR 77.4

$10.64 COP 38.0K

83.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 10.78

$1.20 COP 4,284

126.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 MYR 13.85

$2.47 COP 8,824

41.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.77

$0.86 COP 3,056

-18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 46.81

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-71.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.73

$1.47 COP 5,264

-53.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.16

$1.96 COP 7,009

-72.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 MYR 18.62

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-39.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.95 COP 3,409

-51.58%

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

$33.9K MYR 134.5K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

87.16%

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

$27.5K MYR 108.9K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

3.68%

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

$39.43 MYR 156

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-52.06%

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

$10.01 MYR 39.68

$9.50 COP 33.9K

5.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.58 MYR 101

$24.23 COP 86.5K

5.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.93 MYR 146

$25.89 COP 92.4K

42.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.91

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-68.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.03

$3.93 COP 14.0K

28.50%

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

$242 MYR 958

$309 COP 1.1M

-21.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,240 MYR 24.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

4.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MYR 214

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-8.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.35 MYR 116

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-9.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 MYR 244

$103 COP 366.4K

-39.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 MYR 206

$108 COP 387.2K

-51.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,546

$476 COP 1.7M

-18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,085

$379 COP 1.4M

-27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,527

$838 COP 3.0M

-23.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,905

$724 COP 2.6M

-33.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,010 MYR 7,971

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-27.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 MYR 3,929

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-18.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

13.43

-69.02%

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

Last update for Butterworth: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $390 in Butterworth versus $476 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 $21.00 in Butterworth versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Butterworth vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $853 in Butterworth, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 19% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,280 per month in Butterworth and $1,519 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 $853 in Butterworth and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 251% 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 $853, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $853 in Butterworth to $1,013 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.