Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kepong Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kepong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $895 in Kepong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $1,364 in Kepong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $1,834 in Kepong, rent included.

Medellin costs about 78% more than Kepong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Kepong is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.6K

$3.58 MYR 14.64

123.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 149.1K

$24.94 MYR 102

86.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.2K

$4.92 MYR 20.11

91.67%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,326

$2.90 MYR 11.84

0.34%

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

$1.75 COP 5,614

$0.86 MYR 3.51

103.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,241

$0.44 MYR 1.80

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.0K

$3.32 MYR 13.56

-5.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.8K

$5.66 MYR 23.11

-1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,519

$1.74 MYR 7.11

-18.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,818

$1.07 MYR 4.39

128.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,218

$1.47 MYR 6.01

10.88%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,038

$1.80 MYR 7.35

56.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.1K

$9.64 MYR 39.36

0.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.8K

$3.18 MYR 12.98

193.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.1K

$9.64 MYR 39.37

39.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$3.33 MYR 13.58

20.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,744

$1.70 MYR 6.93

-12.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,804

$2.63 MYR 10.75

-19.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,216

$1.67 MYR 6.81

34.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,124

$1.47 MYR 5.99

29.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,188

$1.65 MYR 6.73

-1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,677

$1.33 MYR 5.42

-13.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,043

$0.55 MYR 2.27

129.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$4.28 MYR 17.48

-10.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.0K

$14.09 MYR 57.6

-6.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,110

$2.66 MYR 10.85

-39.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,226

$3.01 MYR 12.29

-24.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,751

$0.73 MYR 2.99

60.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 240.3K

$12.31 MYR 50.3

509.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,077

$1.01 MYR 4.14

25.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,566

$0.39 MYR 1.59

425.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.3K

$9.10 MYR 37.18

-9.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,067

$0.88 MYR 3.60

44.32%

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

$26.8K COP 85.8M

$42.0K MYR 171.6K

-36.25%

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

$34.4K COP 110.2M

$32.2K MYR 131.7K

6.72%

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

$162 COP 519.6K

$49.07 MYR 200

230.57%

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

$13.12 COP 42.0K

$8.01 MYR 32.74

63.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.0K

$26.58 MYR 109

5.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 142.0K

$38.49 MYR 157

15.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.3K

$7.99 MYR 32.64

104.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.5K

$4.95 MYR 20.24

23.03%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

$163 MYR 667

368.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.5M

$4,501 MYR 18.4K

97.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 272.2K

$55.1 MYR 225

54.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 184.1K

$24.54 MYR 100

134.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 422.1K

$80.5 MYR 329

63.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 306.7K

$86.4 MYR 353

10.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$404 MYR 1,649

154.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$303 MYR 1,236

99.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$691 MYR 2,822

160.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$493 MYR 2,014

101.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.6M

$1,989 MYR 8,123

97.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$1,097 MYR 4,482

49.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$648 MYR 2,649

-3.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.06

169.46%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Kepong: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $404 in Kepong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Kepong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Kepong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $228 – making Kepong 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 Kepong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,589 in Medellin, $895 in Kepong – roughly 78% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $1,342 in Kepong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 509% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $764 per month in Medellin and $163 in Kepong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kepong, where all-in costs run around $895, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Kepong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $895 in Kepong to $1,589 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kepong. 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.