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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $852 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,326 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,801 in Butterworth, rent included.

Medellin costs about 21% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Butterworth are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Butterworth 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.00 MYR 12.27

105.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$20.87 MYR 85.3

56.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.75 MYR 19.45

54.53%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.98 MYR 12.17

-42.28%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.68 MYR 2.77

54.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.37 MYR 1.50

108.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$4.12 MYR 16.84

-58.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.33 MYR 17.69

-26.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.87 MYR 7.65

-43.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.98 MYR 4.02

32.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.66 MYR 6.78

-15.66%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.11 MYR 8.65

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.44 MYR 59.1

-69.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.52 MYR 18.48

30.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.60 MYR 39.26

-10.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.91 MYR 11.92

-21.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.50 MYR 6.14

-26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.60 MYR 10.65

-41.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.51 MYR 6.18

-10.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.18 MYR 4.82

-4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.21 MYR 4.96

-6.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.90 MYR 3.67

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.45 MYR 1.84

102.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.27 MYR 17.47

-45.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$19.21 MYR 78.6

-35.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.68 MYR 10.97

-55.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.55 MYR 14.53

-29.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.72 MYR 2.96

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$11.97 MYR 48.97

238.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.69 MYR 2.83

105.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.50 MYR 2.05

284.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.77 MYR 19.51

60.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.47 MYR 1.91

110.64%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$33.1K MYR 135.2K

-45.45%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.9K MYR 110.2K

-1.15%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$39.21 MYR 160

106.10%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.28 MYR 42.04

-3.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$25.38 MYR 104

-4.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$37.06 MYR 152

-32.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$5.82 MYR 23.82

229.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.04 MYR 20.62

-21.03%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$235 MYR 960

30.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,109 MYR 25.0K

-0.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$54.9 MYR 225

5.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.20 MYR 119

10.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$62.1 MYR 254

62.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$52.2 MYR 214

106.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$386 MYR 1,578

23.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$268 MYR 1,095

40.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$652 MYR 2,667

29.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$470 MYR 1,921

55.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,066 MYR 8,452

55.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,178 MYR 4,820

16.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Butterworth: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $386 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $254 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $852 in Butterworth – roughly 21% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,278 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $852 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 239% 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 $852, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $852 in Butterworth to $1,031 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.