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 $654 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,135 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,616 per month in Kota Bharu vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Kota Bharu is about 36% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kota Bharu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Kota Bharu 51% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 MYR 7.03

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-70.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.23 MYR 86.1

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-36.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.83

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-42.60%

Cappuccino

$2.43 MYR 9.84

$1.63 COP 5,687

49.08%

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

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$1.09 COP 3,821

-55.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 1.01

$0.73 COP 2,548

-65.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.68

$1.74 COP 6,065

150.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.43

$3.23 COP 11.3K

33.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 MYR 6.30

$1.05 COP 3,662

47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 MYR 3.25

$1.29 COP 4,515

-37.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$1.32 COP 4,617

-40.91%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.27

$2.27 COP 7,927

-31.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.28 MYR 62.0

$4.35 COP 15.2K

251.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.75

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-50.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.16 MYR 24.99

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-28.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.86

$2.25 COP 7,844

-35.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.79

$1.07 COP 3,733

33.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.67

$1.52 COP 5,322

-7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.44

$1.42 COP 4,964

-40.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MYR 3.32

$1.17 COP 4,084

-29.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.67

$1.17 COP 4,077

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.68

$0.89 COP 3,096

2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.76

$0.90 COP 3,146

-52.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 MYR 12.02

$2.25 COP 7,837

31.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.42 MYR 78.8

$11.04 COP 38.5K

75.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 MYR 5.79

$1.14 COP 3,977

25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.35

$2.38 COP 8,301

48.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.84 COP 2,916

-17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 46.99

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-72.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.75

$1.41 COP 4,912

-51.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.15

$1.90 COP 6,634

-72.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 MYR 14.65

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-53.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$1.01 COP 3,509

-50.50%

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

$30.7K MYR 124.3K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

74.40%

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

$27.6K MYR 112.0K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

4.26%

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

$38.47 MYR 156

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-54.03%

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

$8.49 MYR 34.42

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-10.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.12 MYR 106

$24.11 COP 84.1K

8.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.20 MYR 151

$25.31 COP 88.3K

46.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.48

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-69.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 MYR 16.73

$4.10 COP 14.3K

0.73%

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

$116 MYR 470

$312 COP 1.1M

-62.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,186 MYR 25.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

3.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 MYR 217

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-7.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.18 MYR 77.8

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-41.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 MYR 247

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-38.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 MYR 216

$109 COP 378.8K

-50.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 MYR 1,032

$482 COP 1.7M

-47.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 MYR 567

$379 COP 1.3M

-63.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 MYR 3,430

$837 COP 2.9M

0.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MYR 1,921

$723 COP 2.5M

-34.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 MYR 1,228

$541 COP 1.9M

-44.03%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Kota Bharu versus $482 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 79% 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 – $204 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 55% 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 $981 per month in Kota Bharu and $1,525 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 262% less in Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $116 per month in Kota Bharu and $312 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 $654, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $654 versus $1,017 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.