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: $1,048 in Johor Bahru versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,549 in Johor Bahru versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,050 in Johor Bahru versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Johor Bahru costs roughly 38% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Johor Bahru is 23% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 MYR 15.05

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-54.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.22 MYR 86.9

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-55.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 MYR 20.01

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-50.56%

Cappuccino

$2.93 MYR 12.01

$3.13 COP 9,873

-6.39%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.44

$1.91 COP 6,019

-56.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$1.51 COP 4,763

-65.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 MYR 17.97

$3.12 COP 9,853

40.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 MYR 25.88

$5.75 COP 18.1K

9.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$1.44 COP 4,558

15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.53

$2.49 COP 7,843

-55.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.86

$1.77 COP 5,595

-19.21%

Eggs

$1.68 MYR 6.89

$2.96 COP 9,336

-43.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.49 MYR 75.7

$10.07 COP 31.8K

83.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MYR 19.13

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-53.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MYR 43.91

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-24.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.48

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-20.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.21

$1.61 COP 5,073

9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 MYR 15.34

$2.25 COP 7,083

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$2.25 COP 7,104

-25.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.79

$2.04 COP 6,444

-30.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$1.54 COP 4,842

8.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$1.17 COP 3,691

17.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$1.31 COP 4,121

-58.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 17.32

$3.90 COP 12.3K

8.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 MYR 58.9

$14.01 COP 44.2K

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 MYR 12.11

$1.74 COP 5,498

70.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 MYR 12.63

$2.87 COP 9,053

7.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$1.22 COP 3,834

-40.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 MYR 49.79

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-84.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 MYR 5.84

$1.31 COP 4,129

9.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 MYR 3.09

$2.19 COP 6,899

-65.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.99 MYR 40.88

$8.71 COP 27.5K

14.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$1.37 COP 4,306

-40.15%

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

$42.6K MYR 174.3K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

52.96%

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

$35.7K MYR 146.2K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-0.17%

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

$53.6 MYR 219

$177 COP 559.3K

-69.79%

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

$11.39 MYR 46.60

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-17.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.27 MYR 116

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-4.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 MYR 165

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-9.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.72

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-66.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.61

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-27.97%

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

$161 MYR 658

$813 COP 2.6M

-80.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,523 MYR 18.5K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-50.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 MYR 220

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-39.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.30 MYR 66.7

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-72.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 MYR 340

$138 COP 435.9K

-39.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.1 MYR 401

$102 COP 322.1K

-3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 MYR 2,108

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-51.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,625

$663 COP 2.1M

-40.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 MYR 3,702

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-52.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,615

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-37.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,058 MYR 8,423

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-50.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,177 MYR 4,818

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-29.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,090 MYR 4,460

$678 COP 2.1M

60.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

10.94

-62.89%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Johor Bahru and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Johor Bahru vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $305 per month, with Johor Bahru 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

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

Johor Bahru and Medellin differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,048 vs $1,681 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 61% 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: $515 in Johor Bahru versus $1,062 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 $21.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,048 per month in Johor Bahru versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,048 in Johor Bahru versus $1,681 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 60% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.