😐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: Medellin23% lower, George Town37% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
George Town
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$3.02MYR 11.93
96.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$21.35MYR 84.3
53.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$4.27MYR 16.86
68.62%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$2.62MYR 10.35
-35.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$0.77MYR 3.03
42.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.36MYR 1.44
100.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$4.36MYR 17.20
-61.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$4.68MYR 18.49
-33.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
George Town
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$1.82MYR 7.21
-41.76%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$1.12MYR 4.43
11.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$1.67MYR 6.60
-16.77%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$2.10MYR 8.31
7.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$17.50MYR 69.1
-75.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$4.97MYR 19.65
17.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$10.47MYR 41.35
-15.66%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$2.86MYR 11.30
-21.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$1.40MYR 5.53
-22.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$2.25MYR 8.90
-32.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.28MYR 5.04
7.03%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$0.87MYR 3.44
29.89%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$1.16MYR 4.57
-3.45%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$0.70MYR 2.76
21.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.52MYR 2.04
75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$4.18MYR 16.51
-44.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$12.70MYR 50.2
-12.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$2.64MYR 10.45
-54.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$3.36MYR 13.29
-29.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
George Town
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.49MYR 1.93
61.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
$11.80MYR 46.62
248.56%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$1.16MYR 4.59
24.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$0.44MYR 1.73
334.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$6.39MYR 25.26
25.51%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$0.49MYR 1.94
91.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$34.1KMYR 134.6K
-47.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$25.0KMYR 98.7K
7.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
George Town
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$38.18MYR 151
119.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$9.68MYR 38.23
-0.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$28.98MYR 114
-16.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
George Town
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$38.37MYR 152
-32.55%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
$3.78MYR 14.94
403.70%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$4.13MYR 16.30
-5.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
George Town
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$146MYR 578
109.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$4,643MYR 18.3K
27.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
George Town
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$52.5MYR 207
10.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$28.61MYR 113
11.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$62.5MYR 247
59.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$52.1MYR 206
105.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
George Town
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$371MYR 1,465
31.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$253MYR 999
45.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$709MYR 2,799
16.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$498MYR 1,969
43.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
George Town
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$1,112MYR 4,393
-50.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
4.16
222.84%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para 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.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs George Town: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is George Town cheaper than Medellin?
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.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or George Town?
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.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and George Town?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
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.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or George Town?
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.
Is Medellin or George Town more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or George Town?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
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.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado