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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $909 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,334 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,760 in Kemaman, rent included.

Medellin costs about 85% more than Kemaman, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Kemaman is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$2.73 MYR 11.18

193.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$14.83 MYR 60.7

222.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.33 MYR 17.73

128.41%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.13 MYR 12.82

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.48 MYR 1.96

297.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.39 MYR 1.58

287.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.42 MYR 13.98

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$5.79 MYR 23.71

-0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.89 MYR 7.72

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.05 MYR 4.28

137.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.00 MYR 4.09

77.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.15 MYR 4.70

157.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$10.11 MYR 41.39

-0.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$3.23 MYR 13.21

213.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$9.43 MYR 38.61

51.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.57 MYR 14.59

15.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.91 MYR 7.82

-15.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.79 MYR 11.41

-19.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.77 MYR 7.26

27.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.15 MYR 8.82

-5.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.02 MYR 8.28

-23.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.44 MYR 5.88

-18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.51 MYR 2.08

156.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.44 MYR 18.15

-12.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$18.95 MYR 77.6

-26.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.68 MYR 10.99

-35.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$4.61 MYR 18.86

-37.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.71 MYR 2.90

71.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$11.71 MYR 47.94

587.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.22 MYR 4.98

7.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.36 MYR 1.46

508.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$9.25 MYR 37.85

-5.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.49 MYR 2.00

179.59%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$42.2K MYR 172.5K

-33.96%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

8.57%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$49.20 MYR 201

260.37%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$8.44 MYR 34.55

64.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$26.89 MYR 110

10.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$35.26 MYR 144

27.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$7.08 MYR 29.00

141.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.84 MYR 19.82

37.40%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$123 MYR 503

561.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$10.6K MYR 43.2K

-13.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$51.2 MYR 209

74.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$30.30 MYR 124

94.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$79.2 MYR 324

74.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$86.5 MYR 354

18.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$402 MYR 1,645

164.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$335 MYR 1,372

97.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$671 MYR 2,746

181.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$535 MYR 2,189

92.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,067 MYR 8,461

102.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,025 MYR 4,194

63.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.51

142.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $402 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Kemaman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $245 – making Kemaman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 85%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,363 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $15.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $909 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 $909, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.