Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $955 in Johor Bahru versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,366 in Johor Bahru versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Johor Bahru versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Johor Bahru costs roughly 5% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johor Bahru 28% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 MYR 14.32

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-40.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 MYR 77.5

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-42.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.67

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-35.13%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.93

$1.65 COP 5,207

76.97%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.39

$1.10 COP 3,468

-24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$0.78 COP 2,458

-37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 MYR 14.37

$1.72 COP 5,412

104.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 MYR 26.43

$3.18 COP 10.0K

103.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.45

$1.10 COP 3,474

65.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.80

$1.26 COP 3,962

-26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$1.38 COP 4,349

-8.70%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.67

$2.18 COP 6,858

-13.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 MYR 43.94

$4.49 COP 14.1K

139.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.89

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-41.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 MYR 33.24

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-9.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.25

$2.32 COP 7,308

18.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.14

$1.06 COP 3,352

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.51

$1.52 COP 4,774

69.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$1.36 COP 4,270

-10.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$1.13 COP 3,552

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.71

$1.17 COP 3,689

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$0.90 COP 2,838

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$0.90 COP 2,823

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.99

$2.23 COP 7,034

86.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 MYR 58.5

$12.12 COP 38.2K

18.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 MYR 11.42

$1.19 COP 3,743

135.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MYR 11.77

$2.48 COP 7,815

16.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.85 COP 2,687

-15.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.66

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-71.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$1.42 COP 4,459

-27.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$1.95 COP 6,141

-47.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.48 MYR 38.71

$7.89 COP 24.8K

20.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.99 COP 3,118

-49.49%

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

$34.8K MYR 142.0K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

97.63%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.9K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

2.24%

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

$40.42 MYR 165

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-51.31%

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

$8.82 MYR 36.01

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-9.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 MYR 125

$23.52 COP 74.1K

30.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.12 MYR 143

$25.26 COP 79.5K

39.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.59

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-69.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.96

$3.95 COP 12.4K

23.80%

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

$184 MYR 752

$316 COP 994.2K

-41.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,005 MYR 28.6K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

17.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.22 MYR 201

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-17.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.59 MYR 75.9

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-41.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.9 MYR 224

$102 COP 320.1K

-45.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.53 MYR 161

$107 COP 338.3K

-63.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,910

$475 COP 1.5M

-1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 MYR 1,633

$374 COP 1.2M

6.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$814 MYR 3,325

$849 COP 2.7M

-4.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 MYR 2,488

$719 COP 2.3M

-15.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,036 MYR 8,313

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-37.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,158 MYR 4,728

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-19.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,063 MYR 4,342

$624 COP 2.0M

70.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

13.43

-69.69%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Johor Bahru and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 70% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Johor Bahru vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $193, 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

Johor Bahru vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johor Bahru and Medellin differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $1,003 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 70% higher in Johor Bahru, 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: $468 in Johor Bahru versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Johor Bahru – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $955 per month in Johor Bahru versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $955 in Johor Bahru versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.