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 $709 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,061 per month in Kota Bharu vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,412 per month in Kota Bharu vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Kota Bharu is about 58% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kota Bharu sits 48% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 MYR 8.84

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-72.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.50 MYR 62.6

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-65.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 MYR 20.24

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-46.07%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MYR 8.84

$2.90 COP 8,874

-24.48%

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

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$1.81 COP 5,541

-71.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.14

$1.55 COP 4,741

-81.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 MYR 9.84

$3.25 COP 9,962

-24.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 17.77

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-25.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MYR 6.28

$1.38 COP 4,230

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MYR 3.70

$2.45 COP 7,517

-62.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.39

$1.51 COP 4,617

-44.37%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.24

$2.78 COP 8,516

-44.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.48 MYR 62.6

$9.05 COP 27.7K

71.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 MYR 12.62

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-70.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.52 MYR 26.34

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-55.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 MYR 9.70

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-39.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.90

$1.38 COP 4,219

5.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 MYR 9.24

$2.30 COP 7,056

-0.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.54

$2.02 COP 6,185

-44.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MYR 3.57

$2.09 COP 6,390

-57.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MYR 3.22

$1.63 COP 4,996

-50.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MYR 2.86

$1.08 COP 3,313

-34.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$1.25 COP 3,843

-64.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MYR 13.64

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-16.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.56 MYR 87.1

$13.47 COP 41.3K

60.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 MYR 10.11

$1.60 COP 4,904

56.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.59

$3.00 COP 9,189

20.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$1.18 COP 3,611

-35.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.55 MYR 50.7

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-84.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.11

$1.61 COP 4,920

-21.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$2.13 COP 6,533

-76.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 MYR 14.68

$8.52 COP 26.1K

-57.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.93

$1.35 COP 4,142

-64.44%

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

$31.6K MYR 127.5K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

11.46%

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

$28.5K MYR 115.2K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-20.09%

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

$51.0 MYR 206

$151 COP 463.8K

-66.33%

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

$8.40 MYR 33.94

$13.10 COP 40.1K

-35.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.51 MYR 111

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-14.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.56 MYR 200

$46.33 COP 141.9K

6.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 MYR 17.39

$6.43 COP 19.7K

-33.13%

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

$124 MYR 500

$835 COP 2.6M

-85.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,037 MYR 20.4K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-43.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 MYR 219

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-39.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.56 MYR 79.0

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-64.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MYR 299

$137 COP 418.5K

-45.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 MYR 355

$109 COP 335.1K

-19.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 MYR 985

$952 COP 2.9M

-74.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 MYR 507

$668 COP 2.0M

-81.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 MYR 2,753

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-66.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 MYR 906

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-80.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 MYR 1,197

$625 COP 1.9M

-52.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

10.43

-57.53%

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

Last update for Kota Bharu: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Kota Bharu versus $952 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 111% 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 $15.00 in Kota Bharu versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $297 – making Kota Bharu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 138% more than Kota Bharu, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,063 per month in Kota Bharu and $2,530 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 537% less in Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $124 per month in Kota Bharu and $835 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 $709, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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 $709 versus $1,687 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.