Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Belait and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Belait and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,657 per month in Kuala Belait vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,452 per month in Kuala Belait vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,247 per month in Kuala Belait vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Kuala Belait costs about 61% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kuala Belait sits 24% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 BND 4.74

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-40.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.09 BND 59.5

$32.60 COP 106.1K

41.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 BND 10.19

$7.34 COP 23.9K

7.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 BND 2.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BND 3.00

Cappuccino

$4.62 BND 5.97

$1.72 COP 5,600

168.60%

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

$0.97 BND 1.25

$1.05 COP 3,420

-7.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 BND 0.79

$0.77 COP 2,515

-20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.53 BND 3.27

$1.05 COP 3,423

140.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 BND 3.27

$1.30 COP 4,236

94.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 BND 2.95

$1.40 COP 4,544

62.86%

Eggs

$2.58 BND 3.33

$2.16 COP 7,047

19.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 BND 24.74

$4.39 COP 14.3K

336.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.77 BND 12.62

$5.88 COP 19.1K

66.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.73 BND 31.94

$8.64 COP 28.1K

186.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 BND 5.82

$2.28 COP 7,426

97.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 BND 3.27

$1.11 COP 3,604

127.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 BND 4.12

$1.53 COP 4,983

108.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 BND 3.59

$1.35 COP 4,410

105.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 BND 2.13

$1.13 COP 3,674

46.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 BND 2.88

$1.13 COP 3,692

97.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.55 BND 7.17

$0.85 COP 2,753

552.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BND 0.98

$0.91 COP 2,975

-16.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.44 BND 14.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.98 BND 7.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 BND 2.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 BND 10.34

$2.34 COP 7,630

242.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 BND 6.10

$1.42 COP 4,623

232.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.62 BND 15.01

$7.66 COP 24.9K

51.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BND 0.46

$0.99 COP 3,223

-63.64%

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

$22.9K BND 29.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

27.14%

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

$27.1K BND 35.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

1.68%

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

$38.63 BND 49.89

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-52.20%

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

$21.89 BND 28.27

$9.95 COP 32.4K

120.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 BND 83.2

$24.18 COP 78.7K

166.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.6 BND 126

$25.08 COP 81.7K

289.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.79 BND 28.14

$19.15 COP 62.3K

13.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 BND 7.20

$3.98 COP 13.0K

39.95%

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

$155 BND 201

$305 COP 993.5K

-49.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,500 BND 12.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

56.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.4 BND 127

$58.1 COP 189.2K

69.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$103 BND 133

$32.20 COP 104.8K

220.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 BND 157

$101 COP 327.9K

20.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 BND 82.1

$108 COP 350.8K

-41.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 BND 958

$477 COP 1.6M

55.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 BND 1,026

$376 COP 1.2M

111.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 BND 1,521

$845 COP 2.7M

39.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 BND 1,508

$730 COP 2.4M

59.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,320 BND 4,288

$617 COP 2.0M

438.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

13.43

-69.77%

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

Last update for Kuala Belait: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $742 in Kuala Belait versus $477 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 438% higher in Kuala Belait, 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 $46.00 in Kuala Belait versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $193 – making Medellin 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

Kuala Belait vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,657 in Kuala Belait, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 61% apart. Kuala Belait costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,486 per month in Kuala Belait and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,657 in Kuala Belait and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $155 per month in Kuala Belait and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Kuala Belait at $1,657. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Belait it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $1,657 in Kuala Belait. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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