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: $969 in George Town versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in George Town versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,259 in George Town versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in George Town costs roughly 42% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 29% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.36 MYR 13.72

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-58.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.02 MYR 61.3

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-68.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 MYR 19.39

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-51.97%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$3.13 COP 9,767

-11.18%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.14

$1.91 COP 5,954

-59.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$1.51 COP 4,712

-78.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 MYR 9.96

$3.12 COP 9,747

-21.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 MYR 17.78

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-24.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.36

$1.44 COP 4,509

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$2.49 COP 7,759

-56.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.89

$1.77 COP 5,535

-4.52%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.06

$2.96 COP 9,235

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 MYR 53.0

$10.07 COP 31.4K

29.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 17.55

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-57.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.63 MYR 35.22

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-39.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 MYR 9.93

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-41.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.05

$1.61 COP 5,019

-8.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 MYR 9.13

$2.25 COP 7,007

-0.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$2.25 COP 7,028

-45.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.77

$2.04 COP 6,375

-54.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.49

$1.54 COP 4,790

-44.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.15

$1.17 COP 3,651

-34.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$1.31 COP 4,077

-58.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MYR 18.84

$3.90 COP 12.2K

18.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.06 MYR 77.8

$14.01 COP 43.7K

36.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 MYR 10.26

$1.74 COP 5,439

44.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MYR 14.65

$2.87 COP 8,956

25.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$1.22 COP 3,792

-61.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.93 MYR 44.63

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-86.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.31 COP 4,084

-8.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$2.19 COP 6,825

-78.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.71 MYR 27.41

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-22.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$1.37 COP 4,260

-44.53%

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

$42.6K MYR 173.7K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

52.89%

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

$28.7K MYR 117.1K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-19.84%

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

$36.69 MYR 150

$177 COP 553.2K

-79.31%

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

$8.25 MYR 33.68

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-40.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.93 MYR 122

$29.72 COP 92.8K

0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.24 MYR 168

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-8.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.77 MYR 19.49

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-72.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 MYR 19.23

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-29.17%

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

$175 MYR 715

$813 COP 2.5M

-78.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,966 MYR 20.3K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-45.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 MYR 225

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-38.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 MYR 140

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-41.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 MYR 298

$138 COP 431.2K

-47.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 MYR 291

$102 COP 318.7K

-30.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,034

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-53.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,524

$663 COP 2.1M

-43.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 MYR 3,750

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-51.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 MYR 4,001

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-4.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 MYR 4,414

$678 COP 2.1M

59.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

10.94

-61.24%

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

Last update for George Town: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in George Town and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 60% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in George Town vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $305 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 60% 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: $498 in George Town versus $1,062 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 636% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $175 in George Town versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $969 in George Town versus $1,681 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 73% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.