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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $955 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,366 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,776 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Medellin is roughly 5% more expensive than in Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Johor Bahru 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.51 MYR 14.32

68.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$18.98 MYR 77.5

73.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.82 MYR 19.67

54.15%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.92 MYR 11.93

-43.49%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.83 MYR 3.39

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.49 MYR 1.98

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.52 MYR 14.37

-51.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$6.47 MYR 26.43

-50.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.82 MYR 7.45

-39.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.93 MYR 3.80

35.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.26 MYR 5.14

9.52%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.88 MYR 7.67

15.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.76 MYR 43.94

-58.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.40 MYR 13.89

70.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.14 MYR 33.24

10.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.75 MYR 11.25

-15.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.50 MYR 6.14

-29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.57 MYR 10.51

-40.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.22 MYR 4.98

11.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.14 MYR 4.66

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.40 MYR 5.71

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.96 MYR 3.93

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.57 MYR 2.31

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.16 MYR 16.99

-46.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$14.34 MYR 58.5

-15.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.80 MYR 11.42

-57.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.88 MYR 11.77

-13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.72 MYR 2.95

18.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$11.92 MYR 48.66

249.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.03 MYR 4.19

37.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.02 MYR 4.17

91.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$9.48 MYR 38.71

-16.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.50 MYR 2.05

98.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.8K MYR 142.0K

-49.40%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.4K MYR 111.9K

-2.19%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$40.42 MYR 165

105.37%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$8.82 MYR 36.01

9.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$30.58 MYR 125

-23.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$35.12 MYR 143

-28.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$5.78 MYR 23.59

230.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.89 MYR 19.96

-19.22%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$184 MYR 752

71.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,005 MYR 28.6K

-14.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$49.22 MYR 201

21.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$18.59 MYR 75.9

71.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$54.9 MYR 224

85.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$39.53 MYR 161

171.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$468 MYR 1,910

1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$400 MYR 1,633

-6.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$814 MYR 3,325

4.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$609 MYR 2,488

18.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,036 MYR 8,313

60.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,158 MYR 4,728

24.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,063 MYR 4,342

-41.28%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $468 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 70% 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 $193 vs $218, 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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $955 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 70% lower in Johor Bahru. 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 $468 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 $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $955 in Johor Bahru – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $955 in Johor Bahru versus $1,003 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 5% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.