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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $777 in Kepong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,231 in Kepong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,685 in Kepong, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Kepong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kepong are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kepong 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.47 MYR 13.71

70.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$18.55 MYR 73.3

76.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.84 MYR 19.14

48.76%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.72 MYR 10.73

-37.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.81 MYR 3.19

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.40 MYR 1.57

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.50 MYR 13.83

-52.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.95 MYR 19.57

-37.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.88 MYR 7.44

-43.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.98 MYR 3.88

27.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.24 MYR 4.89

12.10%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.23 MYR 8.81

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$15.79 MYR 62.4

-72.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.03 MYR 19.85

16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.66 MYR 42.11

-17.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.74 MYR 10.81

-18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.72 MYR 6.79

-37.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.56 MYR 10.10

-40.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.27 MYR 5.00

7.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.42 MYR 5.61

-20.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.38 MYR 5.45

-18.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.90 MYR 3.55

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.60 MYR 2.36

51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.36 MYR 17.21

-46.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$14.30 MYR 56.5

-22.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.74 MYR 10.84

-56.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.02 MYR 11.93

-21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.74 MYR 2.93

6.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.97 MYR 47.29

243.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.02 MYR 4.05

41.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.04 MYR 4.10

83.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$9.32 MYR 36.79

-13.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.49 MYR 1.94

91.84%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$31.0K MYR 122.4K

-42.18%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.7K MYR 109.4K

-3.29%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$45.13 MYR 178

86.04%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.07 MYR 35.83

5.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$23.26 MYR 91.9

3.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$32.28 MYR 128

-19.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.97 MYR 23.59

218.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.82 MYR 19.05

-18.67%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$215 MYR 848

42.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,966 MYR 27.5K

-15.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$50.1 MYR 198

15.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$23.62 MYR 93.3

34.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$69.4 MYR 274

43.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$48.32 MYR 191

121.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$247 MYR 976

96.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$173 MYR 685

112.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$607 MYR 2,396

36.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$417 MYR 1,646

71.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,788 MYR 7,063

63.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$882 MYR 3,482

59.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$674 MYR 2,660

-19.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.07

229.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kepong: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $247 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 23% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Kepong. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $254 in Kepong – 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 Kepong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $777 in Kepong – roughly 33% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,166 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 244% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $215 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 $777, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $777 in Kepong to $1,034 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.