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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $656 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,217 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,777 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Medellin is roughly 53% more expensive than in Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bukit Mertajam 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.86 MYR 7.58

217.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$20.07 MYR 81.9

64.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.79 MYR 15.48

96.04%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.26 MYR 9.22

-26.99%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.72 MYR 2.96

52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.34 MYR 1.37

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.03 MYR 12.39

-43.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.84 MYR 19.76

-34.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.60 MYR 6.55

-31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.12 MYR 4.57

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.56 MYR 2.29

146.43%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.90 MYR 7.74

14.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$22.77 MYR 93.0

-80.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.98 MYR 20.35

16.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.62 MYR 43.38

-15.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.01 MYR 16.38

-42.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-38.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.44 MYR 14.04

-55.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.53 MYR 10.32

-46.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.70 MYR 6.96

-33.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.99 MYR 4.06

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.12 MYR 4.59

-19.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.33 MYR 1.36

172.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.22 MYR 17.23

-47.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$18.26 MYR 74.6

-33.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$4.26 MYR 17.41

-72.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.64 MYR 10.77

-6.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.68 MYR 2.79

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$11.99 MYR 48.97

247.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.15 MYR 4.68

23.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.13 MYR 4.62

72.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.22 MYR 17.25

86.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.50 MYR 2.04

98.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$43.9K MYR 179.3K

-59.91%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$30.8K MYR 125.8K

-13.03%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$26.62 MYR 109

211.83%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$9.67 MYR 39.47

0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$28.14 MYR 115

-16.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$36.80 MYR 150

-31.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$5.98 MYR 24.43

219.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.29 MYR 17.54

-7.93%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$117 MYR 477

170.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,237 MYR 17.3K

41.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$11.65 MYR 47.56

415.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$64.7 MYR 264

-50.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$23.16 MYR 94.6

338.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$78.6 MYR 321

36.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$388 MYR 1,583

22.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$59.9 MYR 245

524.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$637 MYR 2,599

33.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$478 MYR 1,954

50.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$555 MYR 2,267

12.44%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $388 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 12% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $298, 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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $656 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $388 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 $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $656 in Bukit Mertajam – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $656 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,003 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 53% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.