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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $661 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,224 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,786 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Medellin is roughly 54% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bukit Mertajam 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.91 MYR 7.76

211.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$19.96 MYR 80.9

66.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.70 MYR 15.02

95.41%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.23 MYR 9.03

-26.91%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.74 MYR 3.02

47.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.34 MYR 1.37

114.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.14 MYR 12.74

-44.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.70 MYR 19.04

-31.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.67 MYR 6.77

-37.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.09 MYR 4.40

18.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.56 MYR 2.29

135.71%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.89 MYR 7.68

20.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$22.75 MYR 92.3

-80.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.04 MYR 20.42

16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.43 MYR 42.28

-17.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.88 MYR 15.75

-42.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.76 MYR 7.13

-39.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.48 MYR 14.10

-56.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.66 MYR 10.77

-46.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.76 MYR 7.12

-33.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.00 MYR 4.04

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.11 MYR 4.52

-19.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.36 MYR 1.47

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.33 MYR 17.57

-48.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$18.90 MYR 76.7

-41.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$4.28 MYR 17.34

-73.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.61 MYR 10.59

-8.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.69 MYR 2.78

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$11.80 MYR 47.83

255.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.20 MYR 4.87

17.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.13 MYR 4.59

68.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.25 MYR 17.25

82.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.46 MYR 1.88

119.57%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$44.2K MYR 179.3K

-60.23%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.2K MYR 126.7K

-15.20%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$26.68 MYR 108

213.64%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.95 MYR 40.36

-5.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$28.90 MYR 117

-16.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.31 MYR 151

-32.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$5.92 MYR 23.99

223.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.16 MYR 16.85

-1.44%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$119 MYR 483

162.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,260 MYR 17.3K

40.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$11.98 MYR 48.58

384.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$63.2 MYR 256

-48.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$23.23 MYR 94.2

328.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$78.2 MYR 317

38.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$391 MYR 1,584

23.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$58.8 MYR 238

545.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$656 MYR 2,662

27.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$477 MYR 1,936

51.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$990 MYR 4,016

-45.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.96

239.14%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $391 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bukit Mertajam pays 83% 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 $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $300, 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 Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $661 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bukit Mertajam earns 83% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $391 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $661 in Bukit Mertajam – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,017 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 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.