Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuching and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $777 in Kuching versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Kuching versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,678 in Kuching versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 22% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 42% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.43

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-52.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.41 MYR 83.4

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-38.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.77

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-38.22%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.53

$1.65 COP 5,276

56.36%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$1.10 COP 3,514

-35.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.21

$0.78 COP 2,491

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MYR 11.77

$1.72 COP 5,484

67.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MYR 15.29

$3.18 COP 10.1K

17.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$1.10 COP 3,521

71.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$1.26 COP 4,015

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.31

$1.38 COP 4,407

-23.91%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.95

$2.18 COP 6,950

0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MYR 39.17

$4.49 COP 14.3K

113.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 MYR 15.71

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-33.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 33.60

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-8.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.19

$2.32 COP 7,405

28.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.06 COP 3,397

8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$1.52 COP 4,838

72.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.24

$1.36 COP 4,327

30.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$1.13 COP 3,599

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.08

$1.17 COP 3,738

5.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 MYR 6.98

$0.90 COP 2,876

90.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$0.90 COP 2,861

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.12

$2.23 COP 7,128

87.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.46 MYR 83.6

$12.12 COP 38.7K

68.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 MYR 15.86

$1.19 COP 3,793

226.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.93

$2.48 COP 7,920

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.94

$0.85 COP 2,723

-72.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 48.21

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-71.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.94

$1.42 COP 4,518

-32.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.95 COP 6,223

-42.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MYR 7.78

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-75.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.99 COP 3,160

-49.49%

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

$45.9K MYR 187.6K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

160.79%

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

$37.2K MYR 152.2K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

38.99%

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

$41.82 MYR 171

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-49.62%

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

$9.22 MYR 37.70

$9.70 COP 30.9K

-4.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.53 MYR 104

$23.52 COP 75.0K

8.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.85 MYR 122

$25.26 COP 80.6K

18.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 MYR 40.08

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-48.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MYR 18.94

$3.95 COP 12.6K

17.47%

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

$143 MYR 586

$316 COP 1.0M

-54.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

3.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MYR 271

$60.0 COP 191.4K

10.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.34 MYR 128

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-1.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 MYR 358

$102 COP 324.4K

-13.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 MYR 293

$107 COP 342.8K

-33.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,160

$475 COP 1.5M

-40.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MYR 820

$374 COP 1.2M

-46.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MYR 2,326

$849 COP 2.7M

-32.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,583

$719 COP 2.3M

-46.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 MYR 8,535

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-36.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,510 MYR 6,172

$1,441 COP 4.6M

4.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 MYR 2,167

$624 COP 2.0M

-15.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

13.43

-68.21%

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

Last update for Kuching: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 18% 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: $20.00 in Kuching vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Kuching vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 18% 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: $284 in Kuching versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $777 per month in Kuching versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $777 in Kuching versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.