Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $865 in George Town versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,328 in George Town versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,791 in George Town versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in George Town costs roughly 14% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 35% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 MYR 12.22

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-49.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.46 MYR 87.6

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-34.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.91

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-44.28%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.52

$1.65 COP 5,207

56.36%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$1.10 COP 3,468

-29.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.78 COP 2,458

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 17.22

$1.72 COP 5,412

145.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MYR 18.88

$3.18 COP 10.0K

45.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.41

$1.10 COP 3,474

64.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$1.26 COP 3,962

-15.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.65

$1.38 COP 4,349

18.12%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.41

$2.18 COP 6,858

-5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.9

$4.49 COP 14.1K

286.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MYR 20.86

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-11.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 44.15

$8.97 COP 28.2K

20.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.92

$2.32 COP 7,308

25.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.71

$1.06 COP 3,352

32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.76

$1.52 COP 4,774

41.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$1.36 COP 4,270

-10.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.45

$1.13 COP 3,552

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.78

$1.17 COP 3,689

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$0.90 COP 2,838

-17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.90 COP 2,823

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 17.07

$2.23 COP 7,034

87.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.20 MYR 78.4

$12.12 COP 38.2K

58.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 11.11

$1.19 COP 3,743

128.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.44

$2.48 COP 7,815

42.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.85 COP 2,687

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.63 MYR 47.49

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-72.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.42 COP 4,459

-15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$1.95 COP 6,141

-76.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 MYR 26.96

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-16.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.86

$0.99 COP 3,118

-53.54%

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

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

92.94%

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

$24.9K MYR 101.6K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-7.11%

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

$38.72 MYR 158

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-53.36%

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

$9.78 MYR 39.94

$9.70 COP 30.5K

0.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.08 MYR 119

$23.52 COP 74.1K

23.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.41 MYR 157

$25.26 COP 79.5K

52.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.81 MYR 15.55

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-80.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 MYR 15.99

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-0.76%

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

$148 MYR 606

$316 COP 994.2K

-52.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,522 MYR 18.5K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-24.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 MYR 215

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-12.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.34 MYR 116

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-10.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 MYR 255

$102 COP 320.1K

-38.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 MYR 214

$107 COP 338.3K

-51.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 MYR 1,488

$475 COP 1.5M

-23.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 MYR 1,049

$374 COP 1.2M

-31.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MYR 2,901

$849 COP 2.7M

-16.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,019

$719 COP 2.3M

-31.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MYR 4,378

$624 COP 2.0M

71.71%

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 George Town: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in George Town and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 72% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in George Town vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $193, 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

George Town vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 72% higher in George Town, 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: $364 in George Town versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 258% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $148 in George Town versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $865 in George Town versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.