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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $818 in Bayan Lepas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,306 in Bayan Lepas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,794 in Bayan Lepas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 24% more expensive than Bayan Lepas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bayan Lepas 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.55 MYR 14.09

68.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$18.66 MYR 74.0

76.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.18 MYR 16.59

69.62%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.79 MYR 11.06

-38.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.75 MYR 2.98

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.57 MYR 2.27

36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$4.73 MYR 18.75

-64.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$4.80 MYR 19.01

-36.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.35 MYR 9.33

-53.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.92 MYR 3.65

36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.35 MYR 5.35

2.22%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.65 MYR 6.54

32.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$14.75 MYR 58.5

-70.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.48 MYR 17.77

25.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.70 MYR 26.56

32.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.92 MYR 11.56

-19.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.60 MYR 6.36

-33.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.04 MYR 12.05

-50.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.19 MYR 4.70

15.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.03 MYR 4.10

11.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.05 MYR 4.16

10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.62 MYR 2.45

43.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.64 MYR 2.56

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.01 MYR 19.88

-54.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$20.47 MYR 81.2

-48.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.73 MYR 10.82

-56.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.26 MYR 4.98

96.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.66 MYR 2.63

30.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$13.93 MYR 55.2

197.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.52 MYR 6.03

-3.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.03 MYR 4.08

90.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.90 MYR 23.41

31.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.58 MYR 2.29

63.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$34.8K MYR 138.0K

-47.92%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$29.8K MYR 118.1K

-11.04%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$33.46 MYR 133

145.82%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$11.05 MYR 43.81

-14.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$30.23 MYR 120

-19.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$31.42 MYR 125

-17.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.53 MYR 17.95

319.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.20 MYR 16.66

-6.43%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$233 MYR 922

33.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,064 MYR 28.0K

-15.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$37.61 MYR 149

55.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$25.50 MYR 101

26.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$62.6 MYR 248

63.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$80.0 MYR 317

35.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$191 MYR 757

149.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$213 MYR 845

77.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$478 MYR 1,897

75.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$569 MYR 2,256

27.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$999 MYR 3,961

-48.78%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bayan Lepas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $191 in Bayan Lepas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bayan Lepas pays 95% 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 $188 vs $246, 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 24% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $818 including rent). Bayan Lepas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bayan Lepas earns 95% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $191 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 197% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $233 in Bayan Lepas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $818 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,013 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 24% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.