Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Cartagena Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Lumpur and Cartagena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,066 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,599 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,134 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,132 in Cartagena, rent included.

Kuala Lumpur costs about 1% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Cartagena are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Lumpur 20% lower, Cartagena 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 MYR 18.70

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-25.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.76 MYR 118

$46.69 COP 151.8K

-38.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 MYR 19.54

$9.48 COP 30.8K

-49.68%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.23

$1.66 COP 5,387

80.12%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.48

$0.87 COP 2,815

-2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.18

$0.71 COP 2,304

-25.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 MYR 17.30

$1.29 COP 4,204

227.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 MYR 23.44

$2.94 COP 9,556

94.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.13

$1.14 COP 3,711

74.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.26

$1.83 COP 5,942

-43.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$1.34 COP 4,341

25.37%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.94

$2.21 COP 7,185

-1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.74 MYR 60.3

$6.83 COP 22.2K

115.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.80

$6.02 COP 19.6K

-23.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 MYR 39.05

$7.71 COP 25.1K

23.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$3.21 COP 10.4K

-11.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.43

$1.90 COP 6,173

-17.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 MYR 10.82

$1.51 COP 4,913

74.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.24

$1.64 COP 5,336

-7.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.60 COP 5,195

-22.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.56

$1.11 COP 3,606

22.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$1.01 COP 3,275

19.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.64 COP 2,075

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.85

$2.35 COP 7,627

85.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 MYR 76.7

$19.01 COP 61.8K

-1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 MYR 13.26

$0.99 COP 3,218

227.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 18.02

$0.97 COP 3,156

353.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.86

$1.07 COP 3,465

-34.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 49.17

$28.03 COP 91.1K

-57.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$2.46 COP 7,992

-53.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$2.44 COP 7,917

-52.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MYR 19.15

$4.92 COP 16.0K

-4.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$1.02 COP 3,309

-53.92%

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

$40.7K MYR 166.6K

$21.1K COP 68.6M

92.95%

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

$32.5K MYR 132.9K

$23.5K COP 76.3M

38.39%

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

$64.5 MYR 264

$139 COP 451.3K

-53.53%

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

$11.31 MYR 46.29

$10.65 COP 34.6K

6.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.58 MYR 105

$24.92 COP 81.0K

2.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 MYR 192

$35.59 COP 115.7K

31.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 MYR 32.28

$8.90 COP 29.0K

-11.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MYR 20.76

$2.97 COP 9,666

70.71%

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

$272 MYR 1,114

$143 COP 464.2K

90.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,520 MYR 39.0K

$5,923 COP 19.3M

60.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 MYR 249

$47.79 COP 155.4K

27.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.29 MYR 153

$39.11 COP 127.1K

-4.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 MYR 357

$124 COP 403.4K

-29.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 323

$115 COP 374.0K

-31.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MYR 2,352

$740 COP 2.4M

-22.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 MYR 1,487

$332 COP 1.1M

9.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 MYR 4,459

$1,274 COP 4.1M

-14.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MYR 2,576

$477 COP 1.6M

31.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,177 MYR 17.1K

$3,358 COP 10.9M

24.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 MYR 6,003

$933 COP 3.0M

57.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,521 MYR 6,226

$450 COP 1.5M

238.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

-70.20%

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

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in Kuala Lumpur versus $740 in Cartagena. 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 238% higher in Kuala Lumpur, 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 $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $47.00 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $265 in Kuala Lumpur vs $223 in Cartagena – so Cartagena 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

Kuala Lumpur vs Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuala Lumpur costs about 1% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,609 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,599 in Cartagena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $272 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $143 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Kuala Lumpur, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,066, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,073. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Lumpur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,066 versus $1,073 in Kuala Lumpur. 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 Cartagena. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuala Lumpur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.