Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kemaman Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kemaman

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $965 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,413 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,861 in Kemaman, rent included.

Medellin costs about 4% more than Kemaman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Kemaman 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.61 MYR 10.64

126.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$14.15 MYR 57.8

132.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.67 MYR 15.00

102.45%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,211

$2.33 MYR 9.51

-29.18%

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

$1.10 COP 3,471

$0.46 MYR 1.86

139.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,460

$0.34 MYR 1.39

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,416

$4.32 MYR 17.64

-60.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$5.46 MYR 22.29

-41.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,477

$1.82 MYR 7.44

-39.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,965

$0.97 MYR 3.98

29.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,353

$0.91 MYR 3.73

51.65%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,864

$1.15 MYR 4.71

89.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$13.96 MYR 57.0

-67.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$3.75 MYR 15.33

54.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$9.68 MYR 39.53

-7.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,314

$4.01 MYR 16.37

-42.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,355

$1.77 MYR 7.22

-40.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,778

$3.35 MYR 13.67

-54.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,273

$2.61 MYR 10.66

-47.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$1.75 MYR 7.13

-35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$0.99 MYR 4.06

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,840

$1.08 MYR 4.41

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$0.46 MYR 1.87

95.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,039

$4.14 MYR 16.90

-46.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$19.53 MYR 79.8

-37.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,746

$4.30 MYR 17.54

-72.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,822

$5.48 MYR 22.38

-54.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.69 MYR 2.83

23.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.1K

$11.61 MYR 47.40

258.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,462

$1.20 MYR 4.90

18.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,146

$1.09 MYR 4.45

78.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.35 MYR 17.75

81.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,121

$0.46 MYR 1.88

115.22%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$42.9K MYR 175.3K

-59.00%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$31.6K MYR 128.9K

-15.13%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$73.8 MYR 301

12.46%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$9.71 MYR 39.65

-0.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$28.92 MYR 118

-18.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

$36.88 MYR 151

-31.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

$5.82 MYR 23.78

228.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.51 MYR 22.48

-28.31%

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

$316 COP 995.1K

$120 MYR 490

163.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,311 MYR 17.6K

38.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$108 MYR 440

-44.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$27.82 MYR 114

14.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$74.5 MYR 304

36.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.6K

$78.9 MYR 322

36.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$380 MYR 1,553

24.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$264 MYR 1,080

41.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$651 MYR 2,658

30.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$470 MYR 1,918

53.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,013 MYR 8,220

62.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,152 MYR 4,705

25.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.96

239.14%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $380 in Kemaman. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Kemaman. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $272 in Kemaman – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kemaman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,448 in Kemaman. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kemaman, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $14.00 in Kemaman. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $965 in Kemaman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kemaman, where all-in costs run around $965, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Kemaman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kemaman – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kemaman. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.