Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Batu Kawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Batu Kawan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,022 in Batu Kawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,534 in Batu Kawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,045 in Batu Kawan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 64% more expensive than in Batu Kawan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Batu Kawan is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$5.06 MYR 20.70

58.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$29.66 MYR 121

61.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.79 MYR 19.61

106.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.19 MYR 13.05

-1.88%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.81 MYR 3.30

135.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.44 MYR 1.81

243.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$4.34 MYR 17.76

-28.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$6.06 MYR 24.80

-5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.50 MYR 6.14

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.07 MYR 4.38

132.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$0.76 MYR 3.11

132.89%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.05 MYR 8.38

44.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$15.75 MYR 64.5

-36.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.78 MYR 19.57

111.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$9.67 MYR 39.59

47.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.37 MYR 13.81

22.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.93 MYR 7.91

-16.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.32 MYR 9.50

-3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.68 MYR 6.87

33.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.37 MYR 5.59

48.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.44 MYR 5.88

6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.15 MYR 4.69

1.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.69 MYR 2.84

89.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.33 MYR 17.73

-9.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$18.71 MYR 76.6

-25.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$3.45 MYR 14.14

-49.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$4.92 MYR 20.12

-41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.71 MYR 2.93

71.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$12.51 MYR 51.2

543.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.72 MYR 2.94

81.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.48 MYR 1.95

356.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$5.02 MYR 20.55

73.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.81 MYR 3.33

69.14%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$32.0K MYR 131.0K

-13.04%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$34.2K MYR 139.9K

4.63%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$64.5 MYR 264

174.88%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$9.11 MYR 37.30

52.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$23.76 MYR 97.2

25.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$34.57 MYR 141

29.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$7.10 MYR 29.04

141.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$3.79 MYR 15.53

75.46%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$301 MYR 1,230

170.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$4,862 MYR 19.9K

88.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$70.4 MYR 288

27.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$42.34 MYR 173

39.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$88.7 MYR 363

55.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$86.7 MYR 355

17.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$412 MYR 1,684

158.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$318 MYR 1,302

108.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$689 MYR 2,822

173.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$493 MYR 2,016

108.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,013 MYR 8,238

107.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,108 MYR 4,535

51.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,844 MYR 7,547

-63.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

173.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Batu Kawan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $412 in Batu Kawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Batu Kawan pays 172% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $30.00 in Batu Kawan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $268 per month, with Batu Kawan cheaper across the board.

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 Batu Kawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Batu Kawan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 172% lower in Batu Kawan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $412 in Batu Kawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,022 in Batu Kawan – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Batu Kawan runs roughly 543% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,022 in Batu Kawan versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Batu Kawan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Batu Kawan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Batu Kawan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Batu Kawan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Batu Kawan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.