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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $753 per month in Malacca vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in Malacca vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,562 per month in Malacca vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Malacca is about 26% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malacca and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Malacca 44% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 MYR 14.63

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-39.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.57 MYR 75.3

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-44.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.62

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-36.51%

Cappuccino

$2.89 MYR 11.72

$1.63 COP 5,687

77.30%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.19

$1.09 COP 3,821

-27.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$0.73 COP 2,548

-32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 MYR 8.66

$1.74 COP 6,065

22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MYR 12.67

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-3.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MYR 6.01

$1.05 COP 3,662

40.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.99

$1.29 COP 4,515

-24.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.00

$1.32 COP 4,617

-6.82%

Eggs

$1.81 MYR 7.35

$2.27 COP 7,927

-20.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 MYR 62.3

$4.35 COP 15.2K

253.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 MYR 20.23

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-15.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.48 MYR 46.57

$8.61 COP 30.0K

33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 MYR 15.16

$2.25 COP 7,844

66.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.98

$1.07 COP 3,733

38.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.74

$1.52 COP 5,322

74.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.21

$1.42 COP 4,964

42.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.22

$1.17 COP 4,084

30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.02

$1.17 COP 4,077

47.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 MYR 5.17

$0.89 COP 3,096

43.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.27

$0.90 COP 3,146

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.82

$2.25 COP 7,837

84.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 MYR 57.2

$11.04 COP 38.5K

27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MYR 8.08

$1.14 COP 3,977

74.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.85

$2.38 COP 8,301

22.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.84 COP 2,916

-46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 48.02

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-71.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MYR 5.64

$1.41 COP 4,912

-1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.01

$1.90 COP 6,634

-47.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MYR 23.84

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-24.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$1.01 COP 3,509

-51.49%

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

$35.9K MYR 145.5K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

104.05%

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

$38.2K MYR 154.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

44.11%

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

$44.85 MYR 182

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-46.40%

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

$9.25 MYR 37.53

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-2.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.20 MYR 122

$24.11 COP 84.1K

25.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.76 MYR 68.0

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-33.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.71 MYR 47.48

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-38.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.86

$4.10 COP 14.3K

19.51%

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

$188 MYR 762

$312 COP 1.1M

-39.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,873 MYR 27.9K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

14.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 MYR 266

$58.0 COP 202.6K

12.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 MYR 77.6

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-41.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 291

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-27.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.10 MYR 163

$109 COP 378.8K

-63.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 MYR 1,355

$482 COP 1.7M

-30.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 MYR 768

$379 COP 1.3M

-50.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MYR 2,862

$837 COP 2.9M

-15.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 MYR 1,139

$723 COP 2.5M

-61.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 MYR 7,932

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-31.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 MYR 4,017

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-19.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$934 MYR 3,788

$541 COP 1.9M

72.71%

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 Malacca: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $334 in Malacca 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.

Salaries run about 73% higher in Malacca, 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 $19.00 in Malacca versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Malacca 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

Malacca vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $753 in Malacca, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 35% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,129 per month in Malacca 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 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 $19.00 in Malacca and $33.00 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 $753 in Malacca and $1,017 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 $753, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $753 in Malacca to $1,017 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.