Cost of Living Comparison Between Kulim and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kulim and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $974 per month in Kulim vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,486 per month in Kulim vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Kulim vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Kulim is about 5% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kulim and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Kulim 27% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 MYR 10.39

$5.92 COP 21.2K

-55.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.24 MYR 91.8

$33.17 COP 118.7K

-29.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.78 MYR 14.95

$7.25 COP 25.9K

-47.86%

Cappuccino

$2.22 MYR 8.77

$1.71 COP 6,137

29.82%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.08

$1.09 COP 3,915

-28.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.77 COP 2,743

-53.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.27 MYR 16.86

$1.75 COP 6,254

144.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 MYR 21.55

$3.18 COP 11.4K

71.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$1.06 COP 3,792

80.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.27

$1.30 COP 4,657

-16.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.70

$1.38 COP 4,926

4.35%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.31

$2.21 COP 7,908

-16.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.34 MYR 88.2

$4.52 COP 16.2K

394.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 MYR 18.93

$5.80 COP 20.7K

-17.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.47 MYR 41.37

$8.97 COP 32.1K

16.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 MYR 15.70

$2.29 COP 8,182

73.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.70

$1.06 COP 3,791

60.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 MYR 13.05

$1.51 COP 5,411

118.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.13

$1.36 COP 4,869

88.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 6.96

$1.16 COP 4,146

51.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$1.17 COP 4,174

-11.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 MYR 4.42

$0.83 COP 2,960

34.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.85 COP 3,043

-41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.45

$2.35 COP 8,423

77.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.07 MYR 83.2

$11.09 COP 39.7K

89.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 16.84

$1.15 COP 4,133

270.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 MYR 21.14

$2.47 COP 8,853

116.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$0.79 COP 2,827

-36.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 MYR 47.36

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-71.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.74

$1.44 COP 5,140

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$1.90 COP 6,793

-48.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 MYR 17.19

$7.70 COP 27.6K

-43.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$1.03 COP 3,680

-55.34%

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

$44.3K MYR 175.0K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

150.62%

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

$31.3K MYR 123.6K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

15.85%

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

$74.7 MYR 295

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-8.28%

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

$9.62 MYR 37.99

$9.42 COP 33.7K

2.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.70 MYR 113

$23.77 COP 85.1K

20.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.19 MYR 147

$25.86 COP 92.6K

43.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.88 MYR 23.21

$19.34 COP 69.2K

-69.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 MYR 22.23

$4.05 COP 14.5K

39.01%

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

$118 MYR 467

$312 COP 1.1M

-62.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

-28.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 MYR 434

$58.9 COP 210.7K

86.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.82 MYR 106

$32.82 COP 117.5K

-18.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 MYR 293

$100 COP 359.6K

-26.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 MYR 316

$106 COP 380.3K

-24.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,541

$490 COP 1.8M

-20.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,052

$371 COP 1.3M

-28.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,537

$838 COP 3.0M

-23.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,896

$715 COP 2.6M

-32.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,919 MYR 7,579

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-35.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$892 MYR 3,522

$1,394 COP 5.0M

-36.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

13.43

-70.51%

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

Last update for Kulim: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $390 in Kulim versus $490 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Kulim versus $33 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $314 in Kulim vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kulim vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 6% more than Kulim, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,460 per month in Kulim and $1,544 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kulim, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 65% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Kulim and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kulim, where all-in costs run around $974, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Kulim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kulim costs $974 versus $1,030 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kulim. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.