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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $918 in Batu Kawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,428 in Batu Kawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,939 in Batu Kawan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 9% more expensive than in Batu Kawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Batu Kawan 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.77 MYR 19.47

23.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$28.66 MYR 117

15.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.78 MYR 19.51

55.44%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,211

$2.98 MYR 12.16

-44.63%

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

$1.10 COP 3,471

$0.92 MYR 3.77

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,460

$0.49 MYR 2.01

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,416

$4.13 MYR 16.85

-58.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$5.90 MYR 24.10

-46.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,477

$1.38 MYR 5.63

-20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,965

$1.06 MYR 4.31

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,353

$0.74 MYR 3.03

86.49%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,864

$2.01 MYR 8.21

8.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$14.53 MYR 59.3

-69.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$4.56 MYR 18.63

26.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$9.90 MYR 40.43

-9.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,314

$2.99 MYR 12.20

-22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,355

$1.62 MYR 6.61

-34.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,778

$2.73 MYR 11.14

-44.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,273

$1.50 MYR 6.14

-9.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$1.28 MYR 5.23

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$1.35 MYR 5.50

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,840

$1.21 MYR 4.93

-25.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$0.63 MYR 2.56

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,039

$4.28 MYR 17.48

-47.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$18.46 MYR 75.4

-34.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,746

$3.36 MYR 13.74

-64.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,822

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-42.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.73 MYR 2.98

16.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.1K

$11.62 MYR 47.45

258.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,462

$0.68 MYR 2.79

108.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,146

$1.14 MYR 4.67

71.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.68 MYR 19.09

68.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,121

$0.51 MYR 2.08

94.12%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$31.1K MYR 127.1K

-43.45%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$32.2K MYR 131.6K

-16.87%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$63.4 MYR 259

30.91%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$11.42 MYR 46.62

-15.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$22.89 MYR 93.5

2.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

$37.46 MYR 153

-32.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

$5.80 MYR 23.69

229.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.51 MYR 14.35

12.54%

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

$316 COP 995.1K

$271 MYR 1,105

16.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$9,331 MYR 38.1K

-35.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$60.5 MYR 247

-0.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$36.99 MYR 151

-13.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$84.6 MYR 346

20.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.6K

$78.9 MYR 322

36.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$380 MYR 1,550

25.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$268 MYR 1,093

39.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$634 MYR 2,588

34.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$464 MYR 1,895

55.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,086 MYR 8,518

56.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,136 MYR 4,637

26.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,861 MYR 7,598

-66.44%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Batu Kawan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $380 in Batu Kawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Batu Kawan pays 198% 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 $193 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 198% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $380 in Batu Kawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $918 in Batu Kawan – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Batu Kawan runs roughly 258% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $918 in Batu Kawan versus $1,003 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 9% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.