Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bukit Mertajam Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bukit Mertajam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $583 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $933 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,283 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Medellin is roughly 188% more expensive than in Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Bukit Mertajam is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$3.47 MYR 14.20

131.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$21.02 MYR 86.0

127.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.90 MYR 20.04

101.84%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.67 MYR 10.91

17.23%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.82 MYR 3.36

132.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.32 MYR 1.32

371.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.43 MYR 9.96

28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.43 MYR 18.14

29.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.16 MYR 8.83

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.07 MYR 4.40

132.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.75 MYR 7.17

1.14%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.58 MYR 10.55

14.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$15.63 MYR 64.0

-35.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.86 MYR 19.89

108.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$10.02 MYR 41.02

42.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.33 MYR 9.55

77.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.49 MYR 6.10

8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.25 MYR 9.20

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.20 MYR 4.90

87.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.86 MYR 3.54

137.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.80 MYR 3.26

92.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.71 MYR 2.91

64.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.63 MYR 2.57

107.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.45 MYR 18.19

-12.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$18.98 MYR 77.7

-26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.43 MYR 9.95

-28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$3.80 MYR 15.54

-24.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.22 MYR 4.98

7.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.50 MYR 2.05

338.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$4.99 MYR 20.40

74.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.82 MYR 3.34

67.07%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$42.3K MYR 173.2K

-34.20%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$35.2K MYR 144.0K

1.68%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$50.8 MYR 208

248.88%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$8.67 MYR 35.49

60.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$31.31 MYR 128

-5.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.57 MYR 18.72

45.51%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$242 MYR 989

236.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$4,890 MYR 20.0K

87.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$53.7 MYR 220

66.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$34.48 MYR 141

71.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$72.5 MYR 297

90.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$97.2 MYR 398

5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$555 MYR 2,270

22.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.2

160.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $21.00 in Bukit Mertajam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $259 per month, with Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 188% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $583 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $583 in Bukit Mertajam – a 188% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $583 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.