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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $868 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,344 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,819 in Kedah.

Living in Medellin is roughly 17% more expensive than Kedah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Kedah 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.02 MYR 12.24

97.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.42 MYR 86.9

55.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.28 MYR 17.34

68.93%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.95 MYR 11.95

-44.75%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.74 MYR 3.02

47.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.37 MYR 1.48

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$4.40 MYR 17.83

-60.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.48 MYR 18.18

-27.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.81 MYR 7.34

-41.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.91 MYR 3.67

41.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.21 MYR 4.91

9.09%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.11 MYR 8.58

7.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$15.33 MYR 62.2

-71.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.00 MYR 20.26

17.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$14.66 MYR 59.5

-41.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.88 MYR 11.69

-21.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.19 MYR 4.83

-10.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.61 MYR 10.59

-41.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.17 MYR 8.81

-34.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.19 MYR 4.83

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.16 MYR 4.71

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.97 MYR 3.92

-8.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.48 MYR 1.95

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.13 MYR 16.75

-45.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$19.59 MYR 79.5

-43.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.64 MYR 10.69

-56.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.37 MYR 13.66

-29.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.68 MYR 2.77

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$11.77 MYR 47.71

256.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.69 MYR 2.82

104.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.47 MYR 1.92

304.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.98 MYR 28.32

11.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.49 MYR 2.00

106.12%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$33.5K MYR 135.8K

-47.50%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.4K MYR 110.9K

-3.16%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$38.49 MYR 156

117.41%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.99 MYR 40.49

-5.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$11.96 MYR 48.51

101.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$36.49 MYR 148

-30.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$5.85 MYR 23.74

227.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.81 MYR 11.40

45.91%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$238 MYR 963

31.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,215 MYR 25.2K

-3.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$55.4 MYR 225

4.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$28.32 MYR 115

14.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$62.0 MYR 251

60.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$52.5 MYR 213

106.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$380 MYR 1,540

26.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$270 MYR 1,093

40.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$646 MYR 2,620

29.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$465 MYR 1,885

55.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,964 MYR 7,963

44.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$957 MYR 3,880

27.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,322 MYR 5,359

-59.08%

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 Kedah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $380 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 144% 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 $190 vs $273, 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 17% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $868 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kedah earns 144% 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 $380 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $238 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 44% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $868 in Kedah versus $1,017 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 17% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.