Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $843 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,306 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,769 in George Town.

Living in Medellin is roughly 23% more expensive than George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, George Town 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.02 MYR 11.93

96.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$21.35 MYR 84.3

53.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.27 MYR 16.86

68.62%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.62 MYR 10.35

-35.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.77 MYR 3.03

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.36 MYR 1.44

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.36 MYR 17.20

-61.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.68 MYR 18.49

-33.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.82 MYR 7.21

-41.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.12 MYR 4.43

11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.67 MYR 6.60

-16.77%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.10 MYR 8.31

7.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$17.50 MYR 69.1

-75.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.97 MYR 19.65

17.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.47 MYR 41.35

-15.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.86 MYR 11.30

-21.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.40 MYR 5.53

-22.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.25 MYR 8.90

-32.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.28 MYR 5.04

7.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.87 MYR 3.44

29.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.16 MYR 4.57

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.70 MYR 2.76

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.52 MYR 2.04

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.18 MYR 16.51

-44.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.70 MYR 50.2

-12.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.64 MYR 10.45

-54.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.36 MYR 13.29

-29.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.49 MYR 1.93

61.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.80 MYR 46.62

248.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.16 MYR 4.59

24.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.44 MYR 1.73

334.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.39 MYR 25.26

25.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.49 MYR 1.94

91.84%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.1K MYR 134.6K

-47.39%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.0K MYR 98.7K

7.20%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$38.18 MYR 151

119.91%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.68 MYR 38.23

-0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$28.98 MYR 114

-16.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.37 MYR 152

-32.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$3.78 MYR 14.94

403.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.13 MYR 16.30

-5.08%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$146 MYR 578

109.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,643 MYR 18.3K

27.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$52.5 MYR 207

10.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$28.61 MYR 113

11.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$62.5 MYR 247

59.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$52.1 MYR 206

105.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$371 MYR 1,465

31.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$253 MYR 999

45.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$709 MYR 2,799

16.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$498 MYR 1,969

43.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,112 MYR 4,393

-50.96%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for George Town: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $371 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 104% 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 $21.00 in George Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $251, 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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, George Town earns 104% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $371 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 249% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $146 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $843 in George Town versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.