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: $889 in Kuching versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Kuching versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,852 in Kuching versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 46% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuching is 36% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.35

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-56.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.07 MYR 102

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-48.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MYR 20.05

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-47.66%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MYR 13.64

$2.94 COP 9,040

13.95%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.24

$1.86 COP 5,735

-56.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.57

$1.46 COP 4,479

-73.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 MYR 18.84

$3.21 COP 9,882

44.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 MYR 24.67

$5.71 COP 17.6K

6.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 MYR 9.47

$1.44 COP 4,428

61.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$2.40 COP 7,389

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$1.70 COP 5,228

-28.24%

Eggs

$2.56 MYR 10.40

$2.89 COP 8,896

-11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 MYR 46.74

$10.06 COP 30.9K

14.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.04

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-55.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.38

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-31.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.69

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-15.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.43

$1.58 COP 4,878

-15.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.96

$2.15 COP 6,624

13.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$2.30 COP 7,078

-19.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.37

$2.00 COP 6,169

-21.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$1.51 COP 4,646

-23.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MYR 6.46

$1.20 COP 3,701

32.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$1.28 COP 3,946

-57.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MYR 19.53

$3.84 COP 11.8K

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.20 MYR 86.2

$14.01 COP 43.1K

51.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.07 MYR 16.56

$1.71 COP 5,256

138.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.63

$2.74 COP 8,440

85.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MYR 2.58

$1.25 COP 3,834

-49.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.58 MYR 51.2

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-83.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.90

$1.31 COP 4,016

-26.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$2.17 COP 6,680

-41.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 MYR 36.00

$8.29 COP 25.5K

6.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$1.36 COP 4,172

-37.50%

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

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

54.59%

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

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

0.53%

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

$35.37 MYR 144

$169 COP 519.2K

-79.04%

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

$10.29 MYR 41.88

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-24.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 MYR 98.7

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-14.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.72 MYR 125

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-32.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 MYR 49.84

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-28.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.96

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-26.17%

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

$135 MYR 551

$803 COP 2.5M

-83.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-21.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 MYR 258

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-27.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.96 MYR 154

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-36.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 MYR 369

$139 COP 427.5K

-34.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 MYR 272

$102 COP 314.0K

-34.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,510

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-65.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MYR 977

$653 COP 2.0M

-63.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,635

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-66.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 MYR 1,845

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-56.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,112 MYR 8,593

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-48.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 MYR 6,313

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-8.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,229

$655 COP 2.0M

-16.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

10.94

-60.05%

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

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Kuching and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 20% 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: $25.00 in Kuching vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $300 per month, with Kuching 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

Kuching vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 20% 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: $371 in Kuching versus $1,071 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 $25.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $889 per month in Kuching versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $1,641 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 85% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.