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: $802 in Kuching versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,218 in Kuching versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,633 in Kuching versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 21% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kuching 40% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 MYR 11.19

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-53.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.32 MYR 82.4

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-39.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.51

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-33.47%

Cappuccino

$2.53 MYR 10.26

$1.63 COP 5,687

55.21%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.07

$1.09 COP 3,821

-30.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.19

$0.73 COP 2,548

-60.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$1.74 COP 6,065

59.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.63

$3.23 COP 11.3K

11.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$1.05 COP 3,662

81.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.29 COP 4,515

-15.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.32 COP 4,617

-19.70%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.73

$2.27 COP 7,927

-5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MYR 38.01

$4.35 COP 15.2K

115.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 MYR 15.36

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-35.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 MYR 32.49

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-6.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.14

$2.25 COP 7,844

32.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.63

$1.07 COP 3,733

6.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.48

$1.52 COP 5,322

70.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.31

$1.42 COP 4,964

26.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.50

$1.17 COP 4,084

-5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$1.17 COP 4,077

5.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 MYR 6.87

$0.89 COP 3,096

89.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$0.90 COP 3,146

-41.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.00

$2.25 COP 7,837

86.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.36 MYR 86.6

$11.04 COP 38.5K

93.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.69

$1.14 COP 3,977

239.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.82

$2.38 COP 8,301

43.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.93

$0.84 COP 2,916

-72.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.32

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-71.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$1.41 COP 4,912

-34.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.90 COP 6,634

-41.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-76.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$1.01 COP 3,509

-50.50%

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

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

153.56%

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

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

40.86%

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

$41.24 MYR 167

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-50.72%

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

$8.92 MYR 36.16

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-5.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 103

$24.11 COP 84.1K

5.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 MYR 120

$25.31 COP 88.3K

16.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.77 MYR 39.62

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-48.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MYR 18.77

$4.10 COP 14.3K

12.93%

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

$141 MYR 572

$312 COP 1.1M

-54.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

1.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 267

$58.0 COP 202.6K

13.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 MYR 130

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-1.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 348

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-13.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MYR 290

$109 COP 378.8K

-34.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,156

$482 COP 1.7M

-40.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MYR 830

$379 COP 1.3M

-46.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MYR 2,255

$837 COP 2.9M

-33.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,566

$723 COP 2.5M

-46.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 MYR 8,692

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-24.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,224

$1,223 COP 4.3M

25.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,239

$541 COP 1.9M

2.07%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Kuching and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Kuching vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $190, 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 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kuching pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $285 in Kuching versus $482 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 $802 per month in Kuching versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $802 in Kuching versus $1,017 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 27% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.