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: $943 in Johor Bahru versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Johor Bahru versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,826 in Johor Bahru versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Johor Bahru costs roughly 7% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johor Bahru 30% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.56

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-39.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.1

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-43.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-35.13%

Cappuccino

$3.02 MYR 12.23

$1.63 COP 5,687

85.28%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$1.09 COP 3,821

-27.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.73 COP 2,548

-38.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 MYR 14.78

$1.74 COP 6,065

109.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.63 MYR 26.90

$3.23 COP 11.3K

105.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.37

$1.05 COP 3,662

73.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$1.29 COP 4,515

-27.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.25

$1.32 COP 4,617

-2.27%

Eggs

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$2.27 COP 7,927

-17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 MYR 43.49

$4.35 COP 15.2K

146.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 MYR 14.17

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-40.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 MYR 33.29

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-4.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.21

$2.25 COP 7,844

23.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.00

$1.07 COP 3,733

38.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.04

$1.52 COP 5,322

63.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$1.42 COP 4,964

-11.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.61

$1.17 COP 4,084

-2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.38

$1.17 COP 4,077

13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.82

$0.89 COP 3,096

5.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.30

$0.90 COP 3,146

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.98

$2.25 COP 7,837

86.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.08 MYR 57.1

$11.04 COP 38.5K

27.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.72

$1.14 COP 3,977

131.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MYR 11.90

$2.38 COP 8,301

23.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.84 COP 2,916

-11.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.67 MYR 47.34

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-72.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.13

$1.41 COP 4,912

-27.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.03

$1.90 COP 6,634

-47.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 MYR 38.15

$7.75 COP 27.0K

21.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$1.01 COP 3,509

-54.46%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

103.71%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

3.39%

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

$41.08 MYR 167

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-50.91%

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

$9.14 MYR 37.06

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-3.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.22 MYR 123

$24.11 COP 84.1K

25.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.97 MYR 142

$25.31 COP 88.3K

38.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 MYR 24.37

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-68.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.42

$4.10 COP 14.3K

22.93%

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

$184 MYR 746

$312 COP 1.1M

-41.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

15.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.20 MYR 200

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-15.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 MYR 77.3

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-41.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.1 MYR 219

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-45.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.69 MYR 165

$109 COP 378.8K

-62.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,901

$482 COP 1.7M

-2.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,611

$379 COP 1.3M

4.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 MYR 3,311

$837 COP 2.9M

-2.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 MYR 2,478

$723 COP 2.5M

-15.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 MYR 8,432

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-26.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,163 MYR 4,714

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-4.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,108 MYR 4,492

$541 COP 1.9M

104.83%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Johor Bahru and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 105% 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 $217 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

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

Johor Bahru and Medellin differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($943 vs $1,017 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Johor Bahru pays 105% 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: $469 in Johor Bahru versus $482 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 $943 per month in Johor Bahru versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $943 in Johor Bahru versus $1,017 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 8% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.