Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $839 per month in Cheras vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,272 per month in Cheras vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,704 per month in Cheras vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Cheras is about 19% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cheras and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 37% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.30

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-38.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.67 MYR 73.8

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-42.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.07

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-36.39%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$1.70 COP 6,186

69.41%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.30

$1.10 COP 3,996

-23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.72 COP 2,625

-36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.66 MYR 18.41

$1.67 COP 6,067

179.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 MYR 25.60

$3.10 COP 11.3K

109.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.06 COP 3,837

78.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.71

$1.25 COP 4,531

-24.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.39 COP 5,060

-11.51%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.51

$2.26 COP 8,229

-4.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.54 MYR 61.4

$4.33 COP 15.8K

258.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 MYR 14.16

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-38.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 MYR 29.79

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-14.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.46

$2.24 COP 8,159

18.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.08 COP 3,911

61.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.12

$1.53 COP 5,563

67.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.94

$1.37 COP 4,987

-8.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.06

$1.13 COP 4,109

35.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$1.12 COP 4,067

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.48

$0.85 COP 3,080

3.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.91 COP 3,305

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.66

$2.33 COP 8,477

81.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 MYR 57.3

$11.13 COP 40.5K

30.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 10.76

$1.19 COP 4,342

128.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 MYR 15.58

$2.37 COP 8,617

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.79 COP 2,859

-41.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 MYR 46.73

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-71.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.01

$1.44 COP 5,223

-29.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 3.95

$1.91 COP 6,952

-47.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 37.22

$8.02 COP 29.2K

17.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.94 COP 3,410

-51.06%

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

$49.6K MYR 195.7K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

176.52%

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

$31.6K MYR 124.8K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

17.94%

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

$40.52 MYR 160

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-51.74%

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

$9.18 MYR 36.27

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-4.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 MYR 120

$24.16 COP 87.9K

25.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 MYR 162

$25.88 COP 94.1K

58.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.87 MYR 23.19

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-69.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.06

$3.92 COP 14.2K

29.59%

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

$187 MYR 738

$306 COP 1.1M

-39.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,933 MYR 27.4K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

17.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MYR 261

$57.9 COP 210.6K

14.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 MYR 135

$31.82 COP 115.7K

7.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 293

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-25.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.12 MYR 190

$107 COP 389.7K

-55.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 MYR 1,489

$487 COP 1.8M

-22.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 MYR 913

$368 COP 1.3M

-37.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MYR 2,571

$826 COP 3.0M

-21.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 MYR 1,693

$716 COP 2.6M

-40.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,233 MYR 4,871

$546 COP 2.0M

126.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

13.43

-69.69%

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

Last update for Cheras: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Cheras versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 126% higher in Cheras, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Cheras vs $190 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

Cheras vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,259 per month in Cheras and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cheras, where all-in costs run around $839, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Cheras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cheras – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cheras. 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.