Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alor Setar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alor Setar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $900 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,300 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,701 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 87% more than Alor Setar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Alor Setar is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.97 MYR 8.06

307.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$12.06 MYR 49.24

296.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.13 MYR 16.88

139.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.84 MYR 7.50

70.11%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.53 MYR 2.18

260.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.30 MYR 1.23

403.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.48 MYR 10.14

25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.45 MYR 18.18

29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.65 MYR 6.73

-12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.86 MYR 3.50

189.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.75 MYR 7.16

1.14%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.58 MYR 6.43

87.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$15.74 MYR 64.3

-36.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.86 MYR 19.86

108.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$9.66 MYR 39.42

48.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.35 MYR 9.58

76.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.25 MYR 5.12

28.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.23 MYR 9.11

0.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.26 MYR 5.14

78.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.91 MYR 3.72

124.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.86 MYR 3.51

79.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.76 MYR 3.10

53.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.63 MYR 2.57

107.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.46 MYR 18.23

-12.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$21.56 MYR 88.0

-35.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.43 MYR 9.93

-28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.65 MYR 14.92

-21.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.84 MYR 3.44

45.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$12.93 MYR 52.8

522.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.21 MYR 4.93

8.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.51 MYR 2.10

329.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$6.70 MYR 27.35

30.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.49 MYR 1.98

179.59%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$41.1K MYR 167.8K

-32.29%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$28.4K MYR 116.1K

25.82%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$50.3 MYR 205

252.70%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$7.55 MYR 30.81

83.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$22.36 MYR 91.3

32.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$40.09 MYR 164

11.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$6.44 MYR 26.29

165.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.60 MYR 18.79

44.57%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$172 MYR 701

373.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$4,850 MYR 19.8K

89.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$53.5 MYR 218

67.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$35.27 MYR 144

67.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$73.7 MYR 301

87.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$68.7 MYR 281

48.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$371 MYR 1,513

186.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$311 MYR 1,270

113.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$620 MYR 2,532

204.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$562 MYR 2,294

82.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,071 MYR 8,456

101.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,240 MYR 5,062

35.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,609 MYR 6,569

-57.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.43

146.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $371 in Alor Setar. 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 137% higher in Alor Setar, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Alor Setar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $251 – making Alor Setar 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

Medellin vs Alor Setar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 87% more than Alor Setar, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,350 in Alor Setar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $172 in Alor Setar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alor Setar, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Alor Setar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alor Setar costs $900 versus $1,681 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 Alor Setar. 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.