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: $828 in George Town versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,304 in George Town versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,781 in George Town versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in George Town costs roughly 19% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 38% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 MYR 12.71

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-47.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.31 MYR 86.4

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-36.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.80

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-42.74%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.46

$1.63 COP 5,687

58.28%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.14

$1.09 COP 3,821

-29.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$0.73 COP 2,548

-54.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 17.26

$1.74 COP 6,065

144.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 MYR 19.42

$3.23 COP 11.3K

48.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.50

$1.05 COP 3,662

76.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.54

$1.29 COP 4,515

-13.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.85

$1.32 COP 4,617

28.03%

Eggs

$2.05 MYR 8.32

$2.27 COP 7,927

-9.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.52 MYR 71.0

$4.35 COP 15.2K

302.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 20.07

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-15.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MYR 43.24

$8.61 COP 30.0K

23.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 MYR 11.44

$2.25 COP 7,844

25.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$1.07 COP 3,733

33.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MYR 8.87

$1.52 COP 5,322

44.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.42 COP 4,964

-11.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MYR 3.59

$1.17 COP 4,084

-23.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$1.17 COP 4,077

3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.89 COP 3,096

-22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.90 COP 3,146

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 MYR 16.28

$2.25 COP 7,837

78.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 MYR 50.9

$11.04 COP 38.5K

13.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.68

$1.14 COP 3,977

130.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 MYR 13.72

$2.38 COP 8,301

42.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.84 COP 2,916

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 46.89

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-72.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$1.41 COP 4,912

-17.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.78

$1.90 COP 6,634

-76.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 MYR 26.80

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-14.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$1.01 COP 3,509

-53.47%

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

$33.2K MYR 134.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

88.76%

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

$24.7K MYR 100.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-6.71%

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

$38.53 MYR 156

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-53.96%

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

$9.93 MYR 40.25

$9.45 COP 33.0K

5.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.52 MYR 120

$24.11 COP 84.1K

22.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.84 MYR 157

$25.31 COP 88.3K

53.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.66 MYR 14.85

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-80.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 MYR 16.45

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-0.98%

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

$150 MYR 607

$312 COP 1.1M

-52.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,580 MYR 18.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-23.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 MYR 206

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-12.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.05 MYR 118

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-39.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 MYR 213

$109 COP 378.8K

-51.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 MYR 1,501

$482 COP 1.7M

-23.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 MYR 1,051

$379 COP 1.3M

-31.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 MYR 2,887

$837 COP 2.9M

-14.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,018

$723 COP 2.5M

-31.18%

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)

$1,085 MYR 4,400

$541 COP 1.9M

100.63%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in George Town and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 101% 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 $251 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

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

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

George Town pays 101% 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: $370 in George Town versus $482 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 263% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $150 in George Town versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $828 in George Town versus $1,017 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 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.