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 $1,082 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,071 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,632 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $1,619 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,182 per month in Kuala Lumpur vs $2,168 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 19% lower, Cartagena 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 MYR 19.06

$6.14 COP 21.9K

-21.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.80 MYR 110

$47.29 COP 168.9K

-41.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.22

$9.67 COP 34.5K

-49.84%

Cappuccino

$3.12 MYR 12.37

$1.58 COP 5,637

97.47%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.32

$0.86 COP 3,063

-2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$0.66 COP 2,347

-24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$1.30 COP 4,660

231.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 MYR 23.65

$2.83 COP 10.1K

110.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 7.90

$1.15 COP 4,112

73.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.01

$1.93 COP 6,898

-47.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.77

$1.37 COP 4,909

24.82%

Eggs

$2.28 MYR 9.05

$2.18 COP 7,800

4.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 MYR 57.8

$7.11 COP 25.4K

105.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MYR 18.87

$5.91 COP 21.1K

-19.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MYR 37.66

$8.00 COP 28.6K

18.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.75

$3.17 COP 11.3K

-6.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.49

$1.91 COP 6,827

-14.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.63

$1.51 COP 5,397

77.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.04

$1.64 COP 5,847

-7.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.89

$1.53 COP 5,460

-19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.32

$1.11 COP 3,949

20.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MYR 4.61

$1.05 COP 3,759

10.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.62 COP 2,229

1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.09

$2.26 COP 8,083

90.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 MYR 76.5

$17.91 COP 64.0K

7.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 MYR 13.05

$0.99 COP 3,540

232.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.74

$1.02 COP 3,632

313.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.90

$1.02 COP 3,647

-28.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.82 MYR 46.87

$28.74 COP 102.6K

-58.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$2.39 COP 8,529

-51.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.38

$2.35 COP 8,403

-53.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.79 MYR 18.99

$4.79 COP 17.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.89

$1.02 COP 3,654

-52.94%

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

$39.8K MYR 157.9K

$21.3K COP 76.2M

86.76%

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

$32.3K MYR 128.0K

$23.6K COP 84.2M

36.88%

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

$65.0 MYR 258

$143 COP 509.3K

-54.46%

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

$11.46 MYR 45.44

$11.02 COP 39.3K

3.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 101

$25.21 COP 90.0K

0.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.84 MYR 186

$34.61 COP 123.6K

35.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 MYR 31.13

$8.65 COP 30.9K

-9.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MYR 20.03

$2.95 COP 10.6K

71.19%

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

$268 MYR 1,064

$142 COP 507.9K

88.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,519 MYR 37.7K

$5,897 COP 21.1M

61.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 238

$48.52 COP 173.3K

23.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.97 MYR 147

$38.53 COP 137.6K

-4.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 MYR 343

$123 COP 439.0K

-29.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 MYR 323

$112 COP 400.5K

-27.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 MYR 2,224

$735 COP 2.6M

-23.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MYR 1,465

$334 COP 1.2M

10.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 MYR 4,189

$1,307 COP 4.7M

-19.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,563

$476 COP 1.7M

35.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,233 MYR 16.8K

$2,942 COP 10.5M

43.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 MYR 6,044

$2,103 COP 7.5M

-27.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 MYR 7,077

$397 COP 1.4M

349.94%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $561 in Kuala Lumpur versus $735 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 350% 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 $28.00 in Kuala Lumpur versus $47.00 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $267 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 $1,623 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $1,606 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 $268 per month in Kuala Lumpur and $142 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $1,071, than in Kuala Lumpur at $1,082. 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 $1,071 versus $1,082 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.