Cost of Living Comparison Between Kemaman and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kemaman and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $954 per month in Kemaman vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,407 per month in Kemaman vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,860 per month in Kemaman vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Kemaman is about 8% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kemaman and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 29% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.62 MYR 10.35

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-55.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.31 MYR 56.5

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-56.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.83 MYR 15.14

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-46.81%

Cappuccino

$2.31 MYR 9.12

$1.70 COP 6,140

35.88%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.92

$1.10 COP 3,966

-55.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.72 COP 2,605

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.49

$1.67 COP 6,022

149.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 MYR 21.01

$3.10 COP 11.2K

71.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$1.06 COP 3,809

80.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$1.25 COP 4,497

-19.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.86

$1.39 COP 5,022

-29.50%

Eggs

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$2.26 COP 8,168

-50.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 MYR 56.9

$4.33 COP 15.6K

232.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 MYR 14.60

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-36.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 37.17

$8.83 COP 31.9K

6.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 MYR 15.23

$2.24 COP 8,099

72.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.74

$1.08 COP 3,882

58.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.50

$1.53 COP 5,522

123.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.09

$1.37 COP 4,950

86.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 6.97

$1.13 COP 4,078

55.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.07

$1.12 COP 4,036

-8.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.45

$0.85 COP 3,057

32.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.91 COP 3,281

-49.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.18

$2.33 COP 8,414

86.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.31 MYR 80.2

$11.13 COP 40.2K

82.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.68

$1.19 COP 4,309

254.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 MYR 21.29

$2.37 COP 8,553

127.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.76

$0.79 COP 2,838

-11.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 45.68

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-71.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.77

$1.44 COP 5,184

-15.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.37

$1.91 COP 6,901

-41.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 MYR 16.76

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-47.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.94 COP 3,385

-46.81%

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

$43.8K MYR 172.8K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

144.14%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.1K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

18.22%

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

$73.1 MYR 289

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-12.98%

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

$9.97 MYR 39.38

$9.60 COP 34.7K

3.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.42 MYR 112

$24.16 COP 87.2K

17.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 MYR 147

$25.88 COP 93.4K

43.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.83

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-68.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 MYR 22.16

$3.92 COP 14.1K

43.11%

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

$116 MYR 456

$306 COP 1.1M

-62.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,396 MYR 17.4K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-25.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 MYR 438

$57.9 COP 209.1K

91.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 MYR 108

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-14.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 293

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-25.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 MYR 314

$107 COP 386.8K

-25.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,551

$487 COP 1.8M

-19.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,073

$368 COP 1.3M

-26.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,583

$826 COP 3.0M

-20.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,861

$716 COP 2.6M

-34.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,799 MYR 7,107

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-38.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$881 MYR 3,481

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-37.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

13.43

-70.51%

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

Last update for Kemaman: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Kemaman versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Kemaman versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $273 in Kemaman vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kemaman vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,431 per month in Kemaman and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kemaman, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Kemaman and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $954 in Kemaman and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kemaman, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Kemaman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kemaman – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kemaman. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.