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: $966 in Johor Bahru versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Johor Bahru versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,791 in Johor Bahru versus $2,120 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 28% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 13.93

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-40.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.69 MYR 73.8

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-42.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 MYR 18.82

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-33.89%

Cappuccino

$3.01 MYR 11.90

$1.70 COP 6,140

77.06%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.35

$1.10 COP 3,966

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.72 COP 2,605

-31.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 13.85

$1.67 COP 6,022

110.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 MYR 26.71

$3.10 COP 11.2K

118.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.11

$1.06 COP 3,809

69.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$1.25 COP 4,497

-21.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$1.39 COP 5,022

-10.79%

Eggs

$1.84 MYR 7.26

$2.26 COP 8,168

-18.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 MYR 42.16

$4.33 COP 15.6K

146.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 MYR 14.01

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-39.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 MYR 32.60

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-6.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.51

$2.24 COP 8,099

18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.76

$1.08 COP 3,882

35.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.16

$1.53 COP 5,522

67.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.93

$1.37 COP 4,950

-8.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.51

$1.13 COP 4,078

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.30

$1.12 COP 4,036

19.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.71

$0.85 COP 3,057

10.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.04

$0.91 COP 3,281

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.47

$2.33 COP 8,414

78.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 MYR 57.3

$11.13 COP 40.2K

30.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.59

$1.19 COP 4,309

125.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.53

$2.37 COP 8,553

23.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.79 COP 2,838

-8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 46.65

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-71.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.84

$1.44 COP 5,184

-32.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$1.91 COP 6,901

-46.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$8.02 COP 28.9K

13.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.94 COP 3,385

-50.00%

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

$34.8K MYR 137.4K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

94.14%

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

$28.1K MYR 111.0K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

4.94%

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

$40.87 MYR 161

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-51.32%

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

$9.23 MYR 36.44

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-3.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 MYR 121

$24.16 COP 87.2K

26.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.09 MYR 139

$25.88 COP 93.4K

35.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 22.99

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-69.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.35

$3.92 COP 14.1K

25.00%

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

$191 MYR 755

$306 COP 1.1M

-37.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,900 MYR 27.3K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

16.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.07 MYR 194

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-15.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.14 MYR 75.6

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-39.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.2 MYR 214

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-45.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.65 MYR 157

$107 COP 386.8K

-62.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,848

$487 COP 1.8M

-3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MYR 1,565

$368 COP 1.3M

7.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 MYR 3,331

$826 COP 3.0M

2.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 MYR 2,366

$716 COP 2.6M

-16.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-28.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,190 MYR 4,700

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-15.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,155 MYR 4,562

$546 COP 2.0M

111.71%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Johor Bahru and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 112% 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 $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 7% in total monthly costs ($966 vs $1,034 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Johor Bahru pays 112% 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: $468 in Johor Bahru versus $487 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 $966 per month in Johor Bahru versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $966 in Johor Bahru versus $1,034 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 7% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.