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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $865 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,328 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,791 in George Town.

Living in Medellin is roughly 16% more expensive than in George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, George Town 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.99 MYR 12.22

97.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$21.46 MYR 87.6

53.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.14 MYR 16.91

79.47%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.58 MYR 10.52

-36.05%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.78 MYR 3.17

41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.34 MYR 1.37

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$4.22 MYR 17.22

-59.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.62 MYR 18.88

-31.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.81 MYR 7.41

-39.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.07 MYR 4.37

17.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.63 MYR 6.65

-15.34%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.06 MYR 8.41

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$17.36 MYR 70.9

-74.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.11 MYR 20.86

13.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.81 MYR 44.15

-17.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.92 MYR 11.92

-20.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.40 MYR 5.71

-24.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.15 MYR 8.76

-29.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.22 MYR 5.00

11.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.84 MYR 3.45

34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.17 MYR 4.78

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.74 MYR 3.00

21.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.55 MYR 2.23

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.18 MYR 17.07

-46.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$19.20 MYR 78.4

-36.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.72 MYR 11.11

-56.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.54 MYR 14.44

-29.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.45 MYR 1.84

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$11.63 MYR 47.49

257.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.20 MYR 4.92

18.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.46 MYR 1.89

323.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.60 MYR 26.96

19.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.46 MYR 1.86

115.22%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

-48.17%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.9K MYR 101.6K

7.65%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$38.72 MYR 158

114.39%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$9.78 MYR 39.94

-0.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$29.08 MYR 119

-19.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$38.41 MYR 157

-34.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$3.81 MYR 15.55

401.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.92 MYR 15.99

0.77%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$148 MYR 606

112.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,522 MYR 18.5K

32.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$52.6 MYR 215

14.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$28.34 MYR 116

12.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$62.3 MYR 255

63.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$52.3 MYR 214

105.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$364 MYR 1,488

30.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$257 MYR 1,049

45.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$711 MYR 2,901

19.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$495 MYR 2,019

45.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,072 MYR 4,378

-41.76%

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 27, 2026

Last update for George Town: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $364 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 72% 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 $193 vs $265, 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 72% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $364 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 258% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $148 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $865 in George Town versus $1,003 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 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.