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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $762 per month in Malacca vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,165 per month in Malacca vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,568 per month in Malacca vs $2,120 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 43% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 MYR 14.11

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-39.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.93 MYR 74.8

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-42.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 18.69

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-34.31%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.28

$1.70 COP 6,140

68.24%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.15

$1.10 COP 3,966

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.90

$0.72 COP 2,605

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MYR 8.58

$1.67 COP 6,022

29.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MYR 12.72

$3.10 COP 11.2K

3.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MYR 5.70

$1.06 COP 3,809

35.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.93

$1.25 COP 4,497

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.08

$1.39 COP 5,022

-7.19%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.10

$2.26 COP 8,168

-20.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 MYR 61.5

$4.33 COP 15.6K

259.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 MYR 19.85

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-13.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 MYR 45.04

$8.83 COP 31.9K

29.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 MYR 14.14

$2.24 COP 8,099

59.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.96

$1.08 COP 3,882

39.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.49

$1.53 COP 5,522

73.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 MYR 7.98

$1.37 COP 4,950

47.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.75

$1.13 COP 4,078

29.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.18

$1.12 COP 4,036

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MYR 4.99

$0.85 COP 3,057

48.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.19

$0.91 COP 3,281

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.07

$2.33 COP 8,414

85.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.35 MYR 56.7

$11.13 COP 40.2K

28.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 MYR 7.90

$1.19 COP 4,309

68.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 11.78

$2.37 COP 8,553

25.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.90

$0.79 COP 2,838

-39.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.00

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-71.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 MYR 5.62

$1.44 COP 5,184

-1.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.91 COP 6,901

-48.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 MYR 23.36

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-26.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.85

$0.94 COP 3,385

-50.00%

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

$34.7K MYR 137.0K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

93.49%

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

$39.0K MYR 154.2K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

45.74%

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

$44.96 MYR 178

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-46.45%

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

$8.97 MYR 35.45

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-6.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.14 MYR 123

$24.16 COP 87.2K

28.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.33 MYR 64.5

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-36.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.70 MYR 46.20

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-38.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 19.67

$3.92 COP 14.1K

27.04%

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

$190 MYR 749

$306 COP 1.1M

-38.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,904 MYR 27.3K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

16.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 257

$57.9 COP 209.1K

12.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.55 MYR 73.3

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-41.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 MYR 286

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-27.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.69 MYR 161

$107 COP 386.8K

-62.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 MYR 1,306

$487 COP 1.8M

-32.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 MYR 733

$368 COP 1.3M

-49.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 MYR 2,786

$826 COP 3.0M

-14.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,124

$716 COP 2.6M

-60.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,216 MYR 4,803

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-58.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$811 MYR 3,202

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-42.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$954 MYR 3,766

$546 COP 2.0M

74.79%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Malacca 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 75% 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 – $255 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: $762 in Malacca, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 36% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,143 per month in Malacca 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 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 $762 in Malacca and $1,034 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 $762, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $762 in Malacca 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 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.