Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Terengganu and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuala Terengganu: $924 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kuala Terengganu
🇲🇾 Malaysia
$924
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kuala Terengganu and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kuala Terengganu and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $924 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,614 in Medellin.

  • Kuala Terengganu $924
  • Medellin $1,614

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,372 in Kuala Terengganu versus $2,402 in Medellin.

  • Kuala Terengganu $1,372
  • Medellin $2,402

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,821 in Kuala Terengganu versus $3,190 in Medellin.

  • Kuala Terengganu $1,821
  • Medellin $3,190

Living in Kuala Terengganu costs roughly 43% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuala Terengganu is 32% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kuala Terengganu
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.49 MYR 10.15
$7.93 COP 25.2K
-68.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.06 MYR 94.1
$46.13 COP 146.3K
-50.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.72 MYR 19.25
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-50.32%
Cappuccino
$2.72 MYR 11.08
$3.11 COP 9,866
-12.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 MYR 1.90
$1.83 COP 5,800
-74.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 MYR 1.14
$1.38 COP 4,360
-79.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.56 MYR 14.52
$3.05 COP 9,672
16.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.18 MYR 17.05
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-24.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kuala Terengganu
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MYR 6.94
$1.45 COP 4,600
17.24%
White Bread (500g)
$1.02 MYR 4.15
$2.36 COP 7,496
-56.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 MYR 5.22
$1.68 COP 5,328
-23.81%
Eggs
$2.13 MYR 8.68
$2.86 COP 9,077
-25.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.66 MYR 63.9
$10.19 COP 32.3K
53.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.35 MYR 17.73
$9.53 COP 30.2K
-54.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.41 MYR 34.29
$14.04 COP 44.5K
-40.10%
Apples (1kg)
$3.36 MYR 13.73
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-17.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 MYR 6.59
$1.50 COP 4,742
7.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 MYR 8.59
$2.17 COP 6,891
-3.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 MYR 6.13
$2.31 COP 7,310
-35.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.47 MYR 6.01
$1.93 COP 6,113
-23.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 MYR 4.45
$1.64 COP 5,196
-33.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 MYR 4.09
$1.13 COP 3,571
-11.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 MYR 2.17
$1.25 COP 3,954
-57.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.46 MYR 18.18
$3.99 COP 12.6K
11.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.84 MYR 72.8
$13.35 COP 42.3K
33.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 MYR 11.91
$1.70 COP 5,384
71.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.82 MYR 19.66
$2.37 COP 7,525
103.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Kuala Terengganu
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.67 MYR 2.75
$1.21 COP 3,827
-44.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.62 MYR 43.31
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-86.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 MYR 5.20
$1.32 COP 4,179
-3.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 MYR 1.89
$2.14 COP 6,774
-78.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.55 MYR 26.73
$8.47 COP 26.8K
-22.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.90 MYR 3.65
$1.30 COP 4,114
-30.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.8K MYR 178.8K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
56.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K MYR 131.0K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
-9.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kuala Terengganu
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.25 MYR 185
$172 COP 545.6K
-73.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.79 MYR 35.87
$13.37 COP 42.4K
-34.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.10 MYR 102
$28.73 COP 91.1K
-12.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kuala Terengganu
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.04 MYR 180
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-2.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.97 MYR 32.49
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-53.23%
Cinema Ticket
$4.81 MYR 19.61
$6.28 COP 19.9K
-23.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kuala Terengganu
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$172 MYR 701
$770 COP 2.4M
-77.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,936 MYR 28.3K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
-23.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kuala Terengganu
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5 MYR 235
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-33.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.37 MYR 148
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-36.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.5 MYR 353
$137 COP 432.9K
-36.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.0 MYR 278
$97.9 COP 310.4K
-30.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kuala Terengganu
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$361 MYR 1,472
$1,055 COP 3.3M
-65.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$312 MYR 1,275
$616 COP 2.0M
-49.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$722 MYR 2,946
$1,892 COP 6.0M
-61.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 MYR 1,923
$1,023 COP 3.2M
-53.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,073 MYR 8,456
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-48.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,145 MYR 4,669
$1,678 COP 5.3M
-31.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kuala Terengganu
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$652 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.06
10.94
-62.89%

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

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: October 10, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kuala Terengganu
$312
Medellin
$616 97.1% $303
Groceries & Markets
Kuala Terengganu
$254
Medellin
$295 15.9% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Kuala Terengganu
$112
Medellin
$170 52.2% $58
Eating Out
Kuala Terengganu
$96
Medellin
$168 75.8% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kuala Terengganu
$79
Medellin
$214 171% $135
Sport & Entertainment
Kuala Terengganu
$54
Medellin
$58 7.7% $4.2
Getting Around
Kuala Terengganu
$17
Medellin
$93 452% $76

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $361 in Kuala Terengganu and $1,055 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Kuala Terengganu vs $46.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $295 per month, with Kuala Terengganu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇾 Kuala Terengganu
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
03:41 3:41 AM
14:41 2:41 PM
13 h behind Kuala Terengganu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
375,424
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kuala Terengganu Medellin 18,720 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kuala Terengganu
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Kuala Terengganu and in Medellin?
Kuala Terengganu and Medellin differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($924 vs $1,614 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Kuala Terengganu compared to Medellin?
You'd need roughly $1,386 in Kuala Terengganu and $2,421 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Kuala Terengganu and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $361 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,055 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Kuala Terengganu or Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $924 per month in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,614 in Medellin – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Kuala Terengganu and in Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 620% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $924 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,614 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.
How does quality of life compare between Kuala Terengganu and Medellin?
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.
Is Kuala Terengganu or Medellin safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Kuala Terengganu or Medellin?
Expats usually find Kuala Terengganu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Kuala Terengganu vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?