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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $954 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,407 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,860 in Kemaman, rent included.

Medellin costs about 8% more than Kemaman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kemaman 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.62 MYR 10.35

125.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$14.31 MYR 56.5

128.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.83 MYR 15.14

87.99%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.31 MYR 9.12

-26.41%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.49 MYR 1.92

124.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.36 MYR 1.44

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.17 MYR 16.49

-59.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$5.32 MYR 21.01

-41.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.91 MYR 7.53

-44.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.01 MYR 4.00

23.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.98 MYR 3.86

41.84%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.11 MYR 4.38

103.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.41 MYR 56.9

-69.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.70 MYR 14.60

57.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.41 MYR 37.17

-6.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.86 MYR 15.23

-41.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.71 MYR 6.74

-36.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.42 MYR 13.50

-55.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.55 MYR 10.09

-46.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.76 MYR 6.97

-35.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.03 MYR 4.07

8.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.13 MYR 4.45

-24.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.46 MYR 1.81

97.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.35 MYR 17.18

-46.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$20.31 MYR 80.2

-45.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$4.22 MYR 16.68

-71.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$5.39 MYR 21.29

-56.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.70 MYR 2.76

12.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.56 MYR 45.68

255.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.21 MYR 4.77

19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.11 MYR 4.37

72.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.24 MYR 16.76

89.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.50 MYR 1.96

88.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$43.8K MYR 172.8K

-59.04%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$31.7K MYR 125.1K

-15.41%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$73.1 MYR 289

14.92%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.97 MYR 39.38

-3.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$28.42 MYR 112

-14.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.18 MYR 147

-30.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$6.03 MYR 23.83

215.75%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.61 MYR 22.16

-30.12%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$116 MYR 456

165.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,396 MYR 17.4K

34.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$111 MYR 438

-47.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.36 MYR 108

16.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$74.2 MYR 293

34.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$79.6 MYR 314

34.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$393 MYR 1,551

23.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$272 MYR 1,073

35.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$654 MYR 2,583

26.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$471 MYR 1,861

52.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,799 MYR 7,107

62.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$881 MYR 3,481

59.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $393 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 – $190 in Medellin vs $273 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 8%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,431 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $954 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 $954, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.