Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kedah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kedah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $863 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,326 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,790 in Kedah.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.98 MYR 12.17

98.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$21.22 MYR 86.7

55.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.13 MYR 16.85

79.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,211

$2.83 MYR 11.55

-41.70%

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

$1.10 COP 3,471

$0.68 MYR 2.77

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,460

$0.34 MYR 1.38

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,416

$4.44 MYR 18.12

-61.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.51 MYR 18.42

-29.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,477

$1.87 MYR 7.65

-41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,965

$0.95 MYR 3.90

32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,353

$1.20 MYR 4.92

15.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,864

$2.12 MYR 8.66

2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$15.11 MYR 61.7

-70.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$5.18 MYR 21.15

11.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$14.66 MYR 59.9

-38.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,314

$2.91 MYR 11.90

-20.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,355

$1.19 MYR 4.88

-10.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,778

$2.69 MYR 11.00

-43.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,273

$2.09 MYR 8.55

-34.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$1.13 MYR 4.61

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$1.18 MYR 4.81

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,840

$0.95 MYR 3.88

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$0.45 MYR 1.83

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,039

$4.23 MYR 17.26

-47.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$21.23 MYR 86.7

-42.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,746

$2.64 MYR 10.77

-54.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,822

$3.41 MYR 13.94

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.68 MYR 2.78

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.1K

$11.81 MYR 48.24

252.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,462

$0.72 MYR 2.95

97.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,146

$0.50 MYR 2.06

290.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.89 MYR 28.15

14.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,121

$0.50 MYR 2.05

98.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$33.7K MYR 137.6K

-47.75%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.9K MYR 114.0K

-4.03%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$39.27 MYR 160

111.38%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$10.03 MYR 40.95

-3.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$11.86 MYR 48.45

98.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

$36.69 MYR 150

-31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

$5.81 MYR 23.71

228.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.80 MYR 11.44

41.07%

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

$316 COP 995.1K

$235 MYR 961

34.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,259 MYR 25.6K

-4.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$55.4 MYR 226

8.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$29.00 MYR 118

9.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$62.2 MYR 254

63.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.6K

$52.2 MYR 213

105.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$386 MYR 1,575

23.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$265 MYR 1,084

40.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$632 MYR 2,580

34.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$465 MYR 1,899

54.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,134 MYR 8,714

53.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,171 MYR 4,781

23.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,310 MYR 5,350

-52.34%

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 Kedah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $386 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 110% 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 Kedah. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $277, 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 Kedah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Kedah differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $863 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 110% lower in Kedah. 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 $386 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $235 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 43% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $863 in Kedah versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kedah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kedah 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 Kedah 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 Kedah 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.