Cost of Living Comparison Between Ipoh and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ipoh and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $877 per month in Ipoh vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,293 per month in Ipoh vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,708 per month in Ipoh vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Ipoh is about 15% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ipoh and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ipoh 34% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 MYR 10.90

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-56.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.86 MYR 77.2

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-42.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.67 MYR 15.02

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-50.00%

Cappuccino

$2.25 MYR 9.21

$1.72 COP 5,600

30.81%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.15

$1.05 COP 3,420

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.77 COP 2,515

-55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 MYR 14.26

$1.69 COP 5,488

106.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 MYR 18.74

$3.17 COP 10.3K

44.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.55

$1.05 COP 3,423

76.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.18

$1.30 COP 4,236

-21.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.36

$1.40 COP 4,544

-6.43%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.57

$2.16 COP 7,047

-14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 MYR 52.3

$4.39 COP 14.3K

191.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 MYR 21.12

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-12.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 MYR 31.47

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-11.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MYR 12.27

$2.28 COP 7,426

31.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.24

$1.11 COP 3,604

59.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 MYR 12.26

$1.53 COP 4,983

96.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.60

$1.35 COP 4,410

55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.90

$1.13 COP 3,674

27.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.48

$1.13 COP 3,692

18.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 MYR 6.54

$0.85 COP 2,753

88.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.71

$0.91 COP 2,975

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MYR 17.41

$2.34 COP 7,630

82.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.92 MYR 69.2

$12.37 COP 40.3K

36.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 14.17

$1.20 COP 3,909

189.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 MYR 17.84

$2.49 COP 8,104

75.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 3.00

$0.84 COP 2,728

-13.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 48.89

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-70.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$1.42 COP 4,623

-18.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.47

$1.92 COP 6,235

-43.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MYR 17.97

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-42.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.02

$0.99 COP 3,223

-50.51%

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

$44.2K MYR 180.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

145.14%

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

$31.9K MYR 130.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

19.84%

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

$64.4 MYR 264

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-20.26%

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

$9.55 MYR 39.08

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.95 MYR 114

$24.18 COP 78.7K

15.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.18 MYR 94.8

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-7.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 24.43

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-68.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 MYR 12.34

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-24.12%

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

$116 MYR 476

$305 COP 993.5K

-61.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,398 MYR 9,806

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-60.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 MYR 241

$58.1 COP 189.2K

1.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.75 MYR 114

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-13.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MYR 312

$101 COP 327.9K

-24.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 MYR 216

$108 COP 350.8K

-51.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,602

$477 COP 1.6M

-17.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,102

$376 COP 1.2M

-28.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,609

$845 COP 2.7M

-24.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,921

$730 COP 2.4M

-35.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,126 MYR 8,694

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-33.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 MYR 4,060

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-27.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$943 MYR 3,857

$617 COP 2.0M

52.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

13.43

-70.51%

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

Last update for Ipoh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Ipoh versus $477 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 53% higher in Ipoh, 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 Ipoh versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Ipoh vs $193 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

Ipoh vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 18% more than Ipoh, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,315 per month in Ipoh and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 239% less in Ipoh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $116 per month in Ipoh and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ipoh, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Ipoh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ipoh costs $877 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ipoh. 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.