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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $981 per month in Kulim vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,514 per month in Kulim vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,048 per month in Kulim vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Kulim is about 4% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kulim and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Kulim 27% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 MYR 10.31

$5.95 COP 21.2K

-57.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.96 MYR 97.2

$33.33 COP 118.9K

-28.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 MYR 15.52

$7.23 COP 25.8K

-47.16%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 9.17

$1.63 COP 5,811

38.65%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$1.09 COP 3,904

-32.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$0.73 COP 2,604

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.58

$1.74 COP 6,197

148.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 MYR 21.37

$3.23 COP 11.5K

63.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.77

$1.05 COP 3,742

81.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.59

$1.29 COP 4,614

-12.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.81

$1.32 COP 4,718

8.33%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.50

$2.27 COP 8,101

-18.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.18 MYR 90.0

$4.35 COP 15.5K

409.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 MYR 20.17

$5.88 COP 21.0K

-15.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MYR 43.25

$8.61 COP 30.7K

23.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 MYR 15.59

$2.25 COP 8,015

70.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.89

$1.07 COP 3,814

58.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.86

$1.52 COP 5,438

124.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.40

$1.42 COP 5,073

80.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.14

$1.17 COP 4,173

50.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.25

$1.17 COP 4,166

-10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.34

$0.89 COP 3,163

20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.24

$0.90 COP 3,215

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.84

$2.25 COP 8,008

84.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 MYR 71.5

$11.04 COP 39.4K

59.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 MYR 17.04

$1.14 COP 4,063

268.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 MYR 21.84

$2.38 COP 8,483

126.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.84 COP 2,979

-36.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 47.75

$41.95 COP 149.6K

-71.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.90

$1.41 COP 5,019

-14.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.16

$1.90 COP 6,779

-45.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MYR 17.80

$7.75 COP 27.6K

-43.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$1.01 COP 3,586

-50.50%

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

$44.1K MYR 179.0K

$17.6K COP 62.7M

150.91%

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

$31.6K MYR 128.2K

$26.5K COP 94.5M

19.23%

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

$73.0 MYR 296

$83.7 COP 298.4K

-12.79%

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

$9.90 MYR 40.18

$9.45 COP 33.7K

4.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.12 MYR 114

$24.11 COP 86.0K

16.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 MYR 149

$25.31 COP 90.3K

45.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.71 MYR 23.19

$19.14 COP 68.3K

-70.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 MYR 22.76

$4.10 COP 14.6K

36.83%

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

$117 MYR 476

$312 COP 1.1M

-62.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,336 MYR 17.6K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

-27.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 MYR 453

$58.0 COP 207.0K

92.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.79 MYR 113

$32.56 COP 116.1K

-14.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 MYR 301

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-25.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MYR 321

$109 COP 387.1K

-27.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,556

$482 COP 1.7M

-20.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,079

$379 COP 1.4M

-29.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,587

$837 COP 3.0M

-23.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MYR 1,924

$723 COP 2.6M

-34.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,197 MYR 8,917

$2,840 COP 10.1M

-22.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$972 MYR 3,946

$1,223 COP 4.4M

-20.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Kulim versus $482 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 $24.00 in Kulim versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $308 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 4% 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 $1,471 per month in Kulim and $1,525 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 62% 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 $24.00 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 $981, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $981 versus $1,017 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.