Cost of Living Comparison Between Langkawi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Langkawi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $824 per month in Langkawi vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Langkawi vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,687 per month in Langkawi vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Langkawi is about 20% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Langkawi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Langkawi 38% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.22

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-39.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.43 MYR 84.6

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-34.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 MYR 24.89

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-12.50%

Cappuccino

$1.50 MYR 5.92

$1.70 COP 6,140

-11.76%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.40

$1.10 COP 3,966

-21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MYR 2.42

$0.72 COP 2,605

-15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 MYR 13.78

$1.67 COP 6,022

108.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 MYR 19.09

$3.10 COP 11.2K

55.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MYR 6.19

$1.06 COP 3,809

48.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$1.25 COP 4,497

-10.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.90

$1.39 COP 5,022

-10.79%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.19

$2.26 COP 8,168

-8.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.32 MYR 60.5

$4.33 COP 15.6K

253.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 MYR 17.51

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-24.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 MYR 37.97

$8.83 COP 31.9K

8.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.60

$2.24 COP 8,099

-13.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.00

$1.08 COP 3,882

40.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 9.95

$1.53 COP 5,522

64.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.41

$1.37 COP 4,950

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.90

$1.13 COP 4,078

9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.02

$1.12 COP 4,036

13.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 3.95

$0.85 COP 3,057

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.21

$0.91 COP 3,281

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 MYR 15.52

$2.33 COP 8,414

68.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.62 MYR 73.6

$11.13 COP 40.2K

67.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MYR 3.49

$1.19 COP 4,309

-26.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 11.76

$2.37 COP 8,553

25.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.74

$0.79 COP 2,838

-12.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 46.88

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-71.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.58

$1.44 COP 5,184

-19.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.05

$1.91 COP 6,901

-46.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MYR 23.58

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-25.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$0.94 COP 3,385

-46.81%

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

$35.3K MYR 139.4K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

96.90%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

18.44%

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

$35.00 MYR 138

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-58.31%

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

$9.08 MYR 35.86

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-5.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.80 MYR 114

$24.16 COP 87.2K

19.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.42 MYR 84.6

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-17.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 23.54

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-68.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.29

$3.92 COP 14.1K

24.49%

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

$187 MYR 740

$306 COP 1.1M

-38.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,988 MYR 27.6K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

18.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 MYR 238

$57.9 COP 209.1K

4.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.84 MYR 106

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 290

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 MYR 201

$107 COP 386.8K

-52.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,555

$487 COP 1.8M

-19.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,051

$368 COP 1.3M

-27.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,526

$826 COP 3.0M

-22.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,844

$716 COP 2.6M

-34.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,743 MYR 6,883

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-40.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$835 MYR 3,298

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-40.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,131 MYR 8,417

$546 COP 2.0M

290.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

13.43

-69.69%

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

Last update for Langkawi: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Langkawi versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 291% higher in Langkawi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Langkawi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Langkawi 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

Langkawi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $824 in Langkawi, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 25% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,236 per month in Langkawi and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 247% less in Langkawi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $187 per month in Langkawi and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Langkawi, where all-in costs run around $824, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Langkawi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $824 in Langkawi to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Langkawi. 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.