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: $843 in George Town versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in George Town versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,769 in George Town versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in George Town costs roughly 18% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 37% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 MYR 11.93

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-48.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.35 MYR 84.3

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-34.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 MYR 16.86

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-40.69%

Cappuccino

$2.62 MYR 10.35

$1.70 COP 6,140

54.12%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.03

$1.10 COP 3,966

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.72 COP 2,605

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.20

$1.67 COP 6,022

161.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$3.10 COP 11.2K

50.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.21

$1.06 COP 3,809

71.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$1.25 COP 4,497

-10.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.60

$1.39 COP 5,022

20.14%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.31

$2.26 COP 8,168

-7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.50 MYR 69.1

$4.33 COP 15.6K

304.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 MYR 19.65

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-14.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.47 MYR 41.35

$8.83 COP 31.9K

18.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.30

$2.24 COP 8,099

27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.53

$1.08 COP 3,882

29.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 8.90

$1.53 COP 5,522

47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.04

$1.37 COP 4,950

-6.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MYR 3.44

$1.13 COP 4,078

-23.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.57

$1.12 COP 4,036

3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 MYR 2.76

$0.85 COP 3,057

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.04

$0.91 COP 3,281

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 16.51

$2.33 COP 8,414

79.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 MYR 50.2

$11.13 COP 40.2K

14.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.45

$1.19 COP 4,309

121.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 MYR 13.29

$2.37 COP 8,553

41.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.79 COP 2,838

-37.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 46.62

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-71.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$1.44 COP 5,184

-19.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.73

$1.91 COP 6,901

-76.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 MYR 25.26

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-20.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.94 COP 3,385

-47.87%

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

$34.1K MYR 134.6K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

90.08%

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

$25.0K MYR 98.7K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-6.72%

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

$38.18 MYR 151

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-54.53%

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

$9.68 MYR 38.23

$9.60 COP 34.7K

0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.98 MYR 114

$24.16 COP 87.2K

19.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MYR 152

$25.88 COP 93.4K

48.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 MYR 14.94

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-80.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 MYR 16.30

$3.92 COP 14.1K

5.36%

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

$146 MYR 578

$306 COP 1.1M

-52.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,643 MYR 18.3K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-21.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 MYR 207

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-9.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 MYR 113

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-10.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 MYR 247

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-37.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 MYR 206

$107 COP 386.8K

-51.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,465

$487 COP 1.8M

-23.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 MYR 999

$368 COP 1.3M

-31.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,799

$826 COP 3.0M

-14.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 1,969

$716 COP 2.6M

-30.40%

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)

$1,112 MYR 4,393

$546 COP 2.0M

103.90%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in George Town and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 104% 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 104% 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: $371 in George Town versus $487 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 249% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $146 in George Town versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $843 in George Town versus $1,034 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.