Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $863 in Kedah versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Kedah versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Kedah versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 14% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kedah 35% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 MYR 12.17

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-49.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.22 MYR 86.7

$32.96 COP 103.9K

-35.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.85

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-44.41%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.55

$1.65 COP 5,211

71.52%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$1.10 COP 3,471

-38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.38

$0.78 COP 2,460

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 MYR 18.12

$1.72 COP 5,416

158.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MYR 18.42

$3.18 COP 10.0K

41.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.65

$1.10 COP 3,477

70.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.90

$1.26 COP 3,965

-24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.38 COP 4,353

-13.04%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.66

$2.18 COP 6,864

-2.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.11 MYR 61.7

$4.49 COP 14.2K

236.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 MYR 21.15

$5.79 COP 18.3K

-10.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 MYR 59.9

$8.97 COP 28.3K

63.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.90

$2.32 COP 7,314

25.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.88

$1.06 COP 3,355

12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 11.00

$1.52 COP 4,778

76.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MYR 8.55

$1.36 COP 4,273

53.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.61

$1.13 COP 3,555

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$1.17 COP 3,692

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.88

$0.90 COP 2,840

5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.90 COP 2,826

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 17.26

$2.23 COP 7,039

89.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.23 MYR 86.7

$12.12 COP 38.2K

75.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.77

$1.19 COP 3,746

121.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.94

$2.48 COP 7,822

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.85 COP 2,690

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 48.24

$41.62 COP 131.1K

-71.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$1.42 COP 4,462

-49.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$1.95 COP 6,146

-74.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 MYR 28.15

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-12.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.99 COP 3,121

-49.49%

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

$33.7K MYR 137.6K

$17.6K COP 55.5M

91.40%

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

$27.9K MYR 114.0K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

4.20%

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

$39.27 MYR 160

$83.0 COP 261.6K

-52.69%

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

$10.03 MYR 40.95

$9.70 COP 30.6K

3.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.86 MYR 48.45

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-49.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.69 MYR 150

$25.26 COP 79.6K

45.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.81 MYR 23.71

$19.10 COP 60.2K

-69.58%

Cinema Ticket

$2.80 MYR 11.44

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-29.11%

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

$235 MYR 961

$316 COP 995.1K

-25.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,259 MYR 25.6K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

4.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 MYR 226

$60.0 COP 189.1K

-7.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.00 MYR 118

$31.82 COP 100.3K

-8.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 MYR 254

$102 COP 320.4K

-38.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.2 MYR 213

$107 COP 338.6K

-51.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,575

$475 COP 1.5M

-18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,084

$374 COP 1.2M

-29.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 MYR 2,580

$849 COP 2.7M

-25.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,899

$719 COP 2.3M

-35.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,134 MYR 8,714

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-34.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,171 MYR 4,781

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-18.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,310 MYR 5,350

$624 COP 2.0M

109.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

13.43

-69.02%

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

Last update for Kedah: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Kedah and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 110% 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 Kedah vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 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

Kedah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kedah and Medellin differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $1,003 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 110% higher in Kedah, 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: $386 in Kedah versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $235 in Kedah versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 43% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $863 in Kedah versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kedah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kedah 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, Kedah 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 Kedah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.