Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bayan Lepas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bayan Lepas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $805 in Bayan Lepas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,299 in Bayan Lepas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,793 in Bayan Lepas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 28% more expensive than in Bayan Lepas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bayan Lepas 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.62 MYR 14.79

70.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.95 MYR 77.5

72.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.13 MYR 16.91

77.72%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.76 MYR 11.30

-37.68%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.81 MYR 3.32

29.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.54 MYR 2.19

42.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$4.63 MYR 18.95

-63.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.57 MYR 18.71

-30.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.34 MYR 9.56

-55.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.84 MYR 3.44

54.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.37 MYR 5.60

2.19%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.68 MYR 6.87

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.56 MYR 59.6

-69.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.40 MYR 18.00

33.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.40 MYR 26.18

35.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.01 MYR 12.31

-24.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.55 MYR 6.32

-28.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.93 MYR 12.00

-47.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.15 MYR 4.68

17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.99 MYR 4.04

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.00 MYR 4.09

13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.62 MYR 2.53

37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.64 MYR 2.63

42.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.03 MYR 20.57

-53.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$19.86 MYR 81.2

-37.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.74 MYR 11.20

-56.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.30 MYR 5.32

91.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.67 MYR 2.73

25.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$14.26 MYR 58.3

184.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.56 MYR 6.38

-8.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.03 MYR 4.23

86.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.86 MYR 23.96

30.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.54 MYR 2.20

83.33%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.8K MYR 146.5K

-49.67%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.3K MYR 119.9K

-9.19%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$33.42 MYR 137

141.80%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.19 MYR 45.76

-11.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$30.07 MYR 123

-19.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$31.57 MYR 129

-20.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.45 MYR 18.18

330.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.11 MYR 16.80

-3.16%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$231 MYR 945

32.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,935 MYR 28.4K

-12.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$38.32 MYR 157

51.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$26.29 MYR 108

22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$62.0 MYR 253

62.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$78.7 MYR 322

36.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$185 MYR 757

157.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$212 MYR 866

77.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$476 MYR 1,948

77.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$562 MYR 2,298

29.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$971 MYR 3,972

-36.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.3

306.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bayan Lepas: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $185 in Bayan Lepas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bayan Lepas pays 57% 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 $19.00 in Bayan Lepas. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $242, 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 Bayan Lepas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Bayan Lepas differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $805 including rent). Bayan Lepas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Bayan Lepas. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $185 in Bayan Lepas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bayan Lepas runs roughly 185% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $231 in Bayan Lepas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $805 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bayan Lepas but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bayan Lepas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bayan Lepas 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 Bayan Lepas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.