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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $919 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,372 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,825 in Butterworth, rent included.

Medellin costs about 83% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Butterworth is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$3.59 MYR 14.70

123.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$20.01 MYR 81.9

139.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.59 MYR 18.79

115.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.97 MYR 12.16

5.39%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.78 MYR 3.21

144.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.37 MYR 1.50

308.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$4.26 MYR 17.43

-26.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.30 MYR 17.59

33.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.20 MYR 9.01

-34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.05 MYR 4.31

137.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.69 MYR 6.91

4.73%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.22 MYR 9.09

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$13.33 MYR 54.6

-24.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.44 MYR 18.16

127.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$8.72 MYR 35.69

63.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.80 MYR 11.45

47.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.66 MYR 6.80

-3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.36 MYR 9.65

-4.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.42 MYR 5.79

58.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.11 MYR 4.54

83.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.14 MYR 4.68

35.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.11 MYR 4.53

5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.54 MYR 2.21

142.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.44 MYR 18.16

-12.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$19.28 MYR 78.9

-27.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.89 MYR 11.84

-39.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$4.03 MYR 16.49

-28.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.66 MYR 2.70

84.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$13.82 MYR 56.6

482.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.21 MYR 4.95

8.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.38 MYR 1.55

476.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$4.78 MYR 19.58

82.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.77 MYR 3.16

77.92%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$41.6K MYR 170.4K

-33.12%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$35.2K MYR 144.2K

1.53%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$37.38 MYR 153

374.32%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$9.18 MYR 37.59

51.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$25.57 MYR 105

16.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$35.34 MYR 145

26.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$6.77 MYR 27.70

152.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$5.29 MYR 21.64

25.71%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$299 MYR 1,222

172.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

-14.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$61.3 MYR 251

45.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$35.44 MYR 145

66.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$82.7 MYR 339

67.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$69.7 MYR 285

46.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$418 MYR 1,712

153.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$352 MYR 1,440

88.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$738 MYR 3,020

155.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$494 MYR 2,021

107.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,040 MYR 8,351

105.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,102 MYR 4,510

51.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

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 Butterworth: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $418 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Butterworth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $255 – making Butterworth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,681 in Medellin, $919 in Butterworth – roughly 83% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,378 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $919 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 482% 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 $919, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $919 in Butterworth to $1,681 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.