Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $643 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,124 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,605 per month in Kota Bharu vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Kota Bharu is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kota Bharu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Kota Bharu 52% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.74 MYR 6.89

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-70.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 MYR 83.7

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-35.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 16.53

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-41.94%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MYR 9.20

$1.70 COP 6,186

37.06%

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

$0.45 MYR 1.77

$1.10 COP 3,996

-59.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MYR 1.07

$0.72 COP 2,625

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 16.85

$1.67 COP 6,067

155.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 MYR 16.90

$3.10 COP 11.3K

38.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MYR 5.95

$1.06 COP 3,837

42.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 MYR 3.19

$1.25 COP 4,531

-35.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.34

$1.39 COP 5,060

-38.85%

Eggs

$1.47 MYR 5.82

$2.26 COP 8,229

-34.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.28 MYR 60.4

$4.33 COP 15.8K

252.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.37

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-50.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 MYR 24.51

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-29.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.52

$2.24 COP 8,159

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.53

$1.08 COP 3,911

29.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.72

$1.53 COP 5,563

-5.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 MYR 3.43

$1.37 COP 4,987

-36.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MYR 3.22

$1.13 COP 4,109

-27.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.73

$1.12 COP 4,067

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.61

$0.85 COP 3,080

7.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.73

$0.91 COP 3,305

-51.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 MYR 11.79

$2.33 COP 8,477

27.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.39 MYR 76.6

$11.13 COP 40.5K

74.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MYR 5.61

$1.19 COP 4,342

19.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 13.90

$2.37 COP 8,617

48.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.73

$0.79 COP 2,859

-12.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 47.45

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-70.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 2.90

$1.44 COP 5,223

-49.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.14

$1.91 COP 6,952

-71.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 MYR 13.64

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-56.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.94 COP 3,410

-50.00%

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

$31.1K MYR 122.8K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

73.42%

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

$27.3K MYR 107.7K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

1.73%

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

$39.38 MYR 156

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-53.10%

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

$8.08 MYR 31.92

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-15.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.98 MYR 107

$24.16 COP 87.9K

11.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.25 MYR 143

$25.88 COP 94.1K

40.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.81 MYR 22.93

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-69.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$3.92 COP 14.2K

9.69%

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

$119 MYR 470

$306 COP 1.1M

-61.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,108 MYR 24.1K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

3.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 MYR 208

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-9.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.07 MYR 75.3

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-40.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 MYR 243

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-38.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 205

$107 COP 389.7K

-51.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 MYR 1,035

$487 COP 1.8M

-46.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 MYR 559

$368 COP 1.3M

-61.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 MYR 3,430

$826 COP 3.0M

5.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,856

$716 COP 2.6M

-34.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 MYR 1,191

$546 COP 2.0M

-44.73%

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 Kota Bharu: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Kota Bharu 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.

Salaries run about 81% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Kota Bharu versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Kota Bharu 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

Kota Bharu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 61% more than Kota Bharu, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $964 per month in Kota Bharu 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 Kota Bharu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 242% less in Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $119 per month in Kota Bharu and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kota Bharu, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Kota Bharu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kota Bharu costs $643 versus $1,034 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kota Bharu. 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.