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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $828 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,304 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,781 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 24% lower, George Town 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.13 MYR 12.71

90.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.31 MYR 86.4

56.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.14 MYR 16.80

74.64%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.58 MYR 10.46

-36.82%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.77 MYR 3.14

41.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.33 MYR 1.36

121.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$4.26 MYR 17.26

-59.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.79 MYR 19.42

-32.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.85 MYR 7.50

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.12 MYR 4.54

15.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.69 MYR 6.85

-21.89%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.05 MYR 8.32

10.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$17.52 MYR 71.0

-75.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.95 MYR 20.07

18.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.66 MYR 43.24

-19.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.82 MYR 11.44

-20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.43 MYR 5.82

-25.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.19 MYR 8.87

-30.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.26 MYR 5.12

12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.89 MYR 3.59

31.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.21 MYR 4.91

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.69 MYR 2.78

28.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.55 MYR 2.25

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.02 MYR 16.28

-44.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$12.54 MYR 50.9

-11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.63 MYR 10.68

-56.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.38 MYR 13.72

-29.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.49 MYR 1.97

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$11.56 MYR 46.89

262.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.16 MYR 4.72

21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.44 MYR 1.78

331.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.61 MYR 26.80

17.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.47 MYR 1.89

114.89%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$33.2K MYR 134.6K

-47.02%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$24.7K MYR 100.2K

7.19%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$38.53 MYR 156

117.18%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.93 MYR 40.25

-4.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$29.52 MYR 120

-18.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$38.84 MYR 157

-34.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$3.66 MYR 14.85

422.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.06 MYR 16.45

0.99%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$150 MYR 607

108.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,580 MYR 18.6K

30.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$50.8 MYR 206

14.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$29.05 MYR 118

12.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$60.5 MYR 245

64.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$52.4 MYR 213

107.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$370 MYR 1,501

30.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$259 MYR 1,051

46.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$712 MYR 2,887

17.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$498 MYR 2,018

45.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,085 MYR 4,400

-50.16%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for George Town: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $370 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 101% 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 101% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $370 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 263% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $150 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $828 in George Town versus $1,017 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.