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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $928 in Batu Kawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,425 in Batu Kawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,921 in Batu Kawan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 11% more expensive than Batu Kawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Batu Kawan 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.62 MYR 18.24

28.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$28.70 MYR 113

14.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.83 MYR 19.06

49.07%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.01 MYR 11.90

-43.52%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.86 MYR 3.40

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.53 MYR 2.11

35.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.32 MYR 17.07

-61.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$5.99 MYR 23.66

-48.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.38 MYR 5.47

-23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.05 MYR 4.14

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.70 MYR 2.75

98.57%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.01 MYR 7.92

12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.50 MYR 57.3

-70.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.60 MYR 18.15

26.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.78 MYR 38.64

-9.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.99 MYR 11.83

-25.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.63 MYR 6.45

-33.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.73 MYR 10.80

-43.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.53 MYR 6.06

-10.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.22 MYR 4.81

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.39 MYR 5.48

-19.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.16 MYR 4.58

-26.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.63 MYR 2.49

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.20 MYR 16.58

-44.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$18.80 MYR 74.2

-40.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$3.27 MYR 12.93

-63.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-44.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.73 MYR 2.90

8.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.75 MYR 46.41

250.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.68 MYR 2.70

111.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.10 MYR 4.35

73.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.66 MYR 18.42

72.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.50 MYR 1.99

88.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$30.3K MYR 119.6K

-40.83%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$32.8K MYR 129.7K

-18.41%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$64.5 MYR 255

30.17%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$11.67 MYR 46.11

-17.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.91 MYR 90.5

5.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.45 MYR 144

-29.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.71 MYR 22.57

233.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.46 MYR 13.67

13.29%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$268 MYR 1,058

14.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$9,345 MYR 36.9K

-36.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$61.4 MYR 243

-5.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$36.90 MYR 146

-13.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$86.0 MYR 340

16.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$79.1 MYR 312

35.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$392 MYR 1,548

24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$273 MYR 1,077

34.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$637 MYR 2,517

29.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$479 MYR 1,894

49.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,809 MYR 7,147

61.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$904 MYR 3,570

55.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,897 MYR 7,494

-71.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Batu Kawan: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $392 in Batu Kawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Batu Kawan pays 248% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $29.00 in Batu Kawan. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $256, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Batu Kawan earns 248% less. 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: $487 in Medellin versus $392 in Batu Kawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $928 in Batu Kawan – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Batu Kawan runs roughly 250% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $928 in Batu Kawan versus $1,034 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 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.