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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $883 per month in Ipoh vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Ipoh vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,737 per month in Ipoh vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Ipoh is about 13% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ipoh and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ipoh 34% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 MYR 10.15

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-57.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 74.2

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-43.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.79 MYR 15.01

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-46.54%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 8.97

$1.71 COP 6,115

32.16%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.87

$1.10 COP 3,924

-34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.34

$0.78 COP 2,781

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 13.91

$1.68 COP 5,997

108.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.58

$3.07 COP 11.0K

44.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.32

$1.09 COP 3,906

69.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$1.26 COP 4,508

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.20

$1.38 COP 4,922

-5.07%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.26

$2.19 COP 7,827

-16.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 MYR 52.1

$4.40 COP 15.7K

198.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 MYR 20.76

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-6.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 MYR 29.65

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-15.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.75

$2.34 COP 8,349

26.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.18

$1.06 COP 3,777

70.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 11.83

$1.50 COP 5,374

98.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.31

$1.38 COP 4,924

52.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.72

$1.15 COP 4,111

25.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.59

$1.16 COP 4,155

21.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 MYR 6.57

$0.89 COP 3,182

86.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.70

$0.84 COP 2,997

-48.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.50

$2.28 COP 8,145

82.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.57 MYR 69.7

$10.64 COP 38.0K

65.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 MYR 13.70

$1.20 COP 4,284

188.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MYR 16.66

$2.47 COP 8,824

70.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.68

$0.86 COP 3,056

-20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 MYR 46.63

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-71.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.57

$1.47 COP 5,264

-21.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.54

$1.96 COP 7,009

-41.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 MYR 16.76

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-45.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.95 COP 3,409

-51.58%

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

$43.5K MYR 172.3K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

139.74%

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

$30.8K MYR 122.1K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

16.28%

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

$64.2 MYR 255

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-21.95%

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

$9.34 MYR 37.02

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-1.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.35 MYR 112

$24.23 COP 86.5K

17.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.45 MYR 93.0

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-9.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 23.63

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-68.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 MYR 12.39

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-20.61%

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

$118 MYR 469

$309 COP 1.1M

-61.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,365 MYR 9,378

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-60.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 MYR 235

$58.7 COP 209.5K

0.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.86 MYR 110

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-13.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MYR 293

$103 COP 366.4K

-27.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 MYR 211

$108 COP 387.2K

-50.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,536

$476 COP 1.7M

-18.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,067

$379 COP 1.4M

-28.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 MYR 2,515

$838 COP 3.0M

-24.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,833

$724 COP 2.6M

-36.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,186 MYR 8,669

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-21.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,106 MYR 4,387

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-8.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$977 MYR 3,875

$512 COP 1.8M

90.95%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Ipoh versus $476 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 91% 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 – $257 in Ipoh vs $188 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 15% 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 $1,325 per month in Ipoh and $1,519 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 252% less in Ipoh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $118 per month in Ipoh and $309 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 $883, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $883 versus $1,013 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.