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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $976 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,436 in Kuala Terengganu versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,897 in Kuala Terengganu versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Kuala Terengganu costs roughly 43% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuala Terengganu is 29% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.50 MYR 10.12

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-68.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 MYR 94.4

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-51.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 MYR 20.27

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-48.72%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.26

$2.91 COP 9,167

-4.12%

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

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.94 COP 6,122

-76.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.13

$1.52 COP 4,792

-81.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 MYR 17.11

$3.09 COP 9,740

36.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 17.08

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-26.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 7.04

$1.36 COP 4,296

27.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.25

$2.39 COP 7,519

-56.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.26

$1.70 COP 5,356

-23.53%

Eggs

$1.95 MYR 7.87

$2.87 COP 9,038

-32.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 MYR 57.6

$9.94 COP 31.3K

43.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 MYR 18.52

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-57.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.22 MYR 41.32

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-30.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MYR 13.38

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-19.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.81

$1.57 COP 4,950

7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.25

$2.13 COP 6,695

30.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.10

$2.21 COP 6,972

-20.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.80

$2.05 COP 6,447

-41.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 MYR 4.40

$1.50 COP 4,737

-27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.86

$1.19 COP 3,747

0.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$1.16 COP 3,647

-54.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.61

$3.90 COP 12.3K

11.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.75 MYR 83.9

$14.44 COP 45.5K

43.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 MYR 10.18

$1.58 COP 4,987

59.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 MYR 16.29

$2.83 COP 8,905

42.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MYR 3.35

$1.17 COP 3,679

-29.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.21 MYR 45.31

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-85.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.07

$1.28 COP 4,045

-1.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MYR 2.26

$2.09 COP 6,589

-73.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.06 MYR 28.55

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-18.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.66

$1.30 COP 4,088

-49.23%

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

$41.9K MYR 169.4K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

51.46%

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

$35.7K MYR 144.2K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

0.45%

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

$50.6 MYR 205

$176 COP 554.5K

-71.24%

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

$9.17 MYR 37.07

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-31.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.58 MYR 107

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-11.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.19 MYR 179

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-1.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.54 MYR 26.43

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-61.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MYR 19.96

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-20.32%

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

$202 MYR 815

$793 COP 2.5M

-74.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,936 MYR 20.0K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-45.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 MYR 247

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-28.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.93 MYR 157

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-33.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 MYR 379

$136 COP 429.3K

-31.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 MYR 326

$103 COP 324.7K

-21.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 MYR 1,764

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-58.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 MYR 1,184

$680 COP 2.1M

-56.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 MYR 3,083

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-62.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,906

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-59.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,271 MYR 9,182

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-44.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,153 MYR 4,663

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-32.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 MYR 2,028

$665 COP 2.1M

-24.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

10.94

-61.61%

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

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Kuala Terengganu and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 33% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Kuala Terengganu vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $303 per month, with Kuala Terengganu cheaper across the board.

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 Terengganu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuala Terengganu and Medellin differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($976 vs $1,716 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $976 per month in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 593% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $976 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kuala Terengganu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kuala Terengganu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kuala Terengganu and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kuala Terengganu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.