Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Johor Bahru Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Johor Bahru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $943 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,385 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,826 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Medellin is roughly 8% more expensive than Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Johor Bahru 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.59 MYR 14.56

65.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$18.77 MYR 76.1

77.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.69 MYR 19.02

54.16%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.02 MYR 12.23

-46.03%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.79 MYR 3.22

37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.45 MYR 1.84

62.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.64 MYR 14.78

-52.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$6.63 MYR 26.90

-51.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.82 MYR 7.37

-42.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.93 MYR 3.76

38.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.29 MYR 5.25

2.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.87 MYR 7.59

21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.72 MYR 43.49

-59.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.49 MYR 14.17

68.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.21 MYR 33.29

4.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.77 MYR 11.21

-18.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.48 MYR 6.00

-27.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.48 MYR 10.04

-38.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.26 MYR 5.10

12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.14 MYR 4.61

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.33 MYR 5.38

-12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.94 MYR 3.82

-5.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.57 MYR 2.30

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.19 MYR 16.98

-46.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$14.08 MYR 57.1

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.64 MYR 10.72

-56.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.93 MYR 11.90

-18.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.74 MYR 3.02

13.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$11.67 MYR 47.34

259.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.02 MYR 4.13

38.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.99 MYR 4.03

91.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$9.41 MYR 38.15

-17.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.46 MYR 1.85

119.57%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

-50.91%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

-3.28%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$41.08 MYR 167

103.70%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.14 MYR 37.06

3.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$30.22 MYR 123

-20.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$34.97 MYR 142

-27.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.01 MYR 24.37

218.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.04 MYR 20.42

-18.65%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$184 MYR 746

69.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

-13.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$49.20 MYR 200

17.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.06 MYR 77.3

70.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$54.1 MYR 219

84.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$40.69 MYR 165

166.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$469 MYR 1,901

2.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$397 MYR 1,611

-4.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$816 MYR 3,311

2.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$611 MYR 2,478

18.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,079 MYR 8,432

36.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,163 MYR 4,714

5.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,108 MYR 4,492

-51.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.07

229.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 105% 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 $19.00 in Johor Bahru. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $217, 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 Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Johor Bahru differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $943 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Johor Bahru earns 105% 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 $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Johor Bahru – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $943 in Johor Bahru – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $943 in Johor Bahru versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.