Cost of Living Comparison Between Malacca and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Malacca and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Malacca vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $944 per month in Malacca vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,298 per month in Malacca vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Malacca is about 65% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Malacca sits 57% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 MYR 13.60

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-57.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.39 MYR 90.5

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-49.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 MYR 20.10

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-46.50%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.04

$2.90 COP 8,874

2.76%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.40

$1.81 COP 5,541

-53.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.93

$1.55 COP 4,741

-69.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 MYR 8.11

$3.25 COP 9,962

-38.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.17

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-48.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MYR 6.78

$1.38 COP 4,230

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.31

$2.45 COP 7,517

-56.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.06

$1.51 COP 4,617

-0.66%

Eggs

$1.66 MYR 6.72

$2.78 COP 8,516

-40.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.93 MYR 72.4

$9.05 COP 27.7K

98.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MYR 18.81

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-56.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 MYR 44.04

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-25.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MYR 13.37

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-16.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.00

$1.38 COP 4,219

25.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 MYR 10.13

$2.30 COP 7,056

9.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MYR 6.52

$2.02 COP 6,185

-20.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.72

$2.09 COP 6,390

-32.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.04

$1.63 COP 4,996

6.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MYR 5.32

$1.08 COP 3,313

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$1.25 COP 3,843

-56.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.36

$4.03 COP 12.4K

6.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.35 MYR 58.0

$13.47 COP 41.3K

6.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 MYR 8.60

$1.60 COP 4,904

33.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 MYR 12.29

$3.00 COP 9,189

1.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$1.18 COP 3,611

-56.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.23 MYR 49.43

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-84.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 MYR 5.91

$1.61 COP 4,920

-9.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 MYR 3.06

$2.13 COP 6,533

-64.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.38 MYR 50.0

$8.52 COP 26.1K

45.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.96

$1.35 COP 4,142

-63.70%

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

$41.8K MYR 169.0K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

47.64%

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

$36.0K MYR 145.4K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

0.87%

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

$52.5 MYR 212

$151 COP 463.8K

-65.33%

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

$11.12 MYR 44.93

$13.10 COP 40.1K

-15.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.38 MYR 115

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-12.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.58 MYR 91.2

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-51.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.81 MYR 47.72

$17.26 COP 52.9K

-31.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.80

$6.43 COP 19.7K

-23.79%

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

$167 MYR 675

$835 COP 2.6M

-80.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,500 MYR 18.2K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-49.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MYR 266

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-26.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.77 MYR 67.8

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-69.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 MYR 328

$137 COP 418.5K

-40.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.00 MYR 166

$109 COP 335.1K

-62.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 MYR 808

$952 COP 2.9M

-79.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,182 MYR 4,775

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-68.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$796 MYR 3,215

$1,586 COP 4.9M

-49.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

10.43

-61.07%

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

Last update for Malacca: August 17, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $200 in Malacca versus $952 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 $22.00 in Malacca versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $297 – making Malacca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Malacca vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $589 in Malacca, $1,687 in Medellin – roughly 186% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $884 per month in Malacca and $2,530 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Malacca and $45.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $589 in Malacca and $1,687 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malacca, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Malacca 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 $589 in Malacca to $1,687 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 Malacca. 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.