Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Butterworth Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Butterworth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $853 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,328 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,802 in Butterworth, rent included.

Medellin costs about 19% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Butterworth are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Butterworth 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.03 MYR 12.01

97.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$21.48 MYR 85.2

52.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.78 MYR 18.93

48.33%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.87 MYR 11.39

-40.42%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.74 MYR 2.92

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.37 MYR 1.45

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$4.22 MYR 16.74

-60.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$4.46 MYR 17.70

-31.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.87 MYR 7.42

-41.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.04 MYR 4.12

21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.73 MYR 6.87

-20.23%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.08 MYR 8.24

5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$14.75 MYR 58.5

-70.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.78 MYR 18.95

17.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$9.66 MYR 38.31

-7.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.82 MYR 11.17

-17.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.49 MYR 5.92

-28.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.73 MYR 10.81

-45.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.46 MYR 5.79

-5.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.19 MYR 4.72

-3.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.18 MYR 4.68

-1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.95 MYR 3.76

-6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.49 MYR 1.95

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.28 MYR 16.96

-46.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$19.51 MYR 77.4

-45.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.72 MYR 10.78

-55.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.49 MYR 13.85

-29.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.70 MYR 2.77

22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$11.80 MYR 46.81

250.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.69 MYR 2.73

113.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.54 MYR 2.16

262.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.70 MYR 18.62

64.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.46 MYR 1.82

106.52%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$33.9K MYR 134.5K

-46.57%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$27.5K MYR 108.9K

-3.55%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$39.43 MYR 156

108.60%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.01 MYR 39.68

-5.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$25.58 MYR 101

-5.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$36.93 MYR 146

-29.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$6.03 MYR 23.91

215.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.05 MYR 20.03

-22.18%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$242 MYR 958

28.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,240 MYR 24.7K

-4.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$53.9 MYR 214

8.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$29.35 MYR 116

10.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$61.6 MYR 244

66.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$52.1 MYR 206

108.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$390 MYR 1,546

22.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$274 MYR 1,085

38.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$637 MYR 2,527

31.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$480 MYR 1,905

50.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,010 MYR 7,971

38.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$991 MYR 3,929

22.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.16

222.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Butterworth: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $390 in Butterworth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Butterworth. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $258 in Butterworth – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Butterworth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $853 in Butterworth – roughly 19% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,280 in Butterworth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Butterworth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $853 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 251% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Butterworth, where all-in costs run around $853, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Butterworth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $853 in Butterworth to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Butterworth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.