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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $647 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,003 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,360 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 60% more than Alor Setar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Alor Setar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Alor Setar 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.41 MYR 9.50

145.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$11.59 MYR 45.78

182.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.18 MYR 16.50

72.25%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.68 MYR 6.65

1.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.55 MYR 2.17

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.29 MYR 1.15

148.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.50 MYR 13.81

-52.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.34 MYR 9.22

32.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.63 MYR 6.43

-34.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.88 MYR 3.46

42.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.16 MYR 4.60

19.83%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.46 MYR 5.78

54.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.95 MYR 47.22

-63.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.98 MYR 11.77

95.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.14 MYR 32.14

8.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.84 MYR 11.24

-21.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.03 MYR 4.07

4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.38 MYR 5.46

10.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.17 MYR 8.56

-36.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.96 MYR 3.77

17.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.50 MYR 1.97

124.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.68 MYR 2.67

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.49 MYR 1.93

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.81 MYR 11.11

-17.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.70 MYR 34.38

27.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.20 MYR 4.72

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.06 MYR 8.13

15.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.69 MYR 2.71

14.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.86 MYR 46.85

246.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.69 MYR 2.74

108.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.51 MYR 2.01

274.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$7.24 MYR 28.60

10.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.47 MYR 1.84

100.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$33.5K MYR 132.4K

-46.55%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.3K MYR 108.0K

-2.00%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$37.96 MYR 150

121.18%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$6.91 MYR 27.29

38.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$27.40 MYR 108

-11.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.79 MYR 145

-29.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$9.41 MYR 37.17

102.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.81 MYR 11.10

39.50%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$80.9 MYR 319

278.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,317 MYR 21.0K

11.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$47.55 MYR 188

21.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$29.19 MYR 115

9.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.8 MYR 244

61.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$52.8 MYR 209

102.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$292 MYR 1,153

66.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$174 MYR 687

111.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$443 MYR 1,752

86.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$336 MYR 1,327

113.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,034 MYR 8,035

43.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$967 MYR 3,819

45.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,133 MYR 4,477

-51.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.16

222.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $292 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 108% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Alor Setar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $187 – 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 60% more than Alor Setar, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $970 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 $306 per month in Medellin and $80.9 in Alor Setar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $647, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $647 versus $1,034 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.