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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Kulim vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,508 per month in Kulim vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,014 per month in Kulim vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Kulim is about 2% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kulim and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Kulim 25% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.61 MYR 10.66

$5.93 COP 19.1K

-55.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 MYR 94.8

$33.12 COP 106.5K

-30.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 MYR 15.71

$7.12 COP 22.9K

-46.07%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 9.10

$1.71 COP 5,484

30.41%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.92

$1.05 COP 3,373

-32.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.72 COP 2,323

-52.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 MYR 17.59

$1.72 COP 5,529

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 MYR 21.74

$3.17 COP 10.2K

67.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.71

$1.06 COP 3,425

78.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.31 COP 4,213

-13.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.87

$1.33 COP 4,277

8.27%

Eggs

$1.84 MYR 7.53

$2.28 COP 7,334

-19.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.46 MYR 91.8

$4.42 COP 14.2K

408.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MYR 19.44

$5.92 COP 19.0K

-19.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.41 MYR 42.55

$8.64 COP 27.8K

20.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 MYR 16.61

$2.34 COP 7,541

73.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.90

$1.10 COP 3,544

53.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.15

$1.47 COP 4,721

135.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.88

$1.38 COP 4,437

92.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.13

$1.17 COP 3,772

48.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 4.05

$1.17 COP 3,763

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.56

$0.90 COP 2,904

23.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.27

$0.84 COP 2,707

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.77

$2.33 COP 7,486

86.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.46 MYR 67.3

$11.92 COP 38.3K

38.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 MYR 17.21

$1.15 COP 3,692

266.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 MYR 23.11

$2.42 COP 7,787

133.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.84 COP 2,700

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.98 MYR 48.96

$40.83 COP 131.3K

-70.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.88

$1.41 COP 4,539

-15.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.05

$1.91 COP 6,157

-48.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 MYR 18.08

$7.83 COP 25.2K

-43.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$0.94 COP 3,035

-50.00%

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

$44.1K MYR 180.2K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

147.42%

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

$31.0K MYR 126.5K

$27.1K COP 87.1M

14.30%

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

$75.6 MYR 309

$83.3 COP 267.8K

-9.18%

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

$9.93 MYR 40.58

$9.66 COP 31.1K

2.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.60 MYR 117

$24.22 COP 77.9K

18.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.15 MYR 152

$25.22 COP 81.1K

47.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 MYR 23.93

$19.33 COP 62.2K

-69.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 MYR 22.97

$4.07 COP 13.1K

38.08%

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

$117 MYR 478

$307 COP 986.0K

-61.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,247 MYR 17.4K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

-29.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 MYR 442

$60.0 COP 192.8K

80.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.39 MYR 112

$32.65 COP 105.0K

-16.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 MYR 306

$101 COP 325.1K

-25.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 MYR 321

$108 COP 347.5K

-27.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,595

$476 COP 1.5M

-18.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,106

$379 COP 1.2M

-28.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 MYR 2,687

$816 COP 2.6M

-19.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,909

$707 COP 2.3M

-33.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 MYR 7,191

$3,190 COP 10.3M

-44.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,263 MYR 5,161

$1,446 COP 4.7M

-12.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $390 in Kulim versus $476 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 $23.00 in Kulim versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Kulim vs $192 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 2% 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 $1,504 per month in Kulim and $1,527 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 60% 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 $1,003, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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 $1,003 versus $1,018 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.