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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $969 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,614 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,259 in George Town.

Living in Medellin is roughly 73% more expensive than in George Town, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, George Town is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.36 MYR 13.72

138.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$15.02 MYR 61.3

218.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.75 MYR 19.39

108.21%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.78 MYR 11.35

12.59%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.77 MYR 3.14

148.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.32 MYR 1.32

371.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.44 MYR 9.96

27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.36 MYR 17.78

31.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.80 MYR 7.36

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.09 MYR 4.45

128.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.69 MYR 6.89

4.73%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.22 MYR 9.06

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$12.99 MYR 53.0

-22.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.30 MYR 17.55

135.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.63 MYR 35.22

65.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.43 MYR 9.93

70.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.48 MYR 6.05

8.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.24 MYR 9.13

0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.22 MYR 4.96

84.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.92 MYR 3.77

121.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.85 MYR 3.49

81.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.77 MYR 3.15

51.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.54 MYR 2.21

142.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.62 MYR 18.84

-15.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$19.06 MYR 77.8

-26.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.51 MYR 10.26

-30.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.59 MYR 14.65

-20.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.47 MYR 1.90

159.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$10.93 MYR 44.63

636.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.20 MYR 4.92

9.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.47 MYR 1.94

365.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$6.71 MYR 27.41

29.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.76 MYR 3.10

80.26%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$42.6K MYR 173.7K

-34.59%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$28.7K MYR 117.1K

24.74%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$36.69 MYR 150

383.24%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$8.25 MYR 33.68

68.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$29.93 MYR 122

-0.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$41.24 MYR 168

8.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$4.77 MYR 19.49

258.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.71 MYR 19.23

41.19%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$175 MYR 715

364.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$4,966 MYR 20.3K

84.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$55.0 MYR 225

62.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$34.40 MYR 140

71.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$73.1 MYR 298

89.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$71.2 MYR 291

43.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$498 MYR 2,034

113.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$373 MYR 1,524

77.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$919 MYR 3,750

105.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$980 MYR 4,001

4.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,081 MYR 4,414

-37.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.24

158.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for George Town: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $498 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 60% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $15.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $239 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 60% lower in George Town. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $498 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 636% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $175 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $969 in George Town versus $1,681 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 73% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.