Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kota Bharu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kota Bharu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $654 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,135 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,616 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 55% more than Kota Bharu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Kota Bharu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Kota Bharu 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.73 MYR 7.03

243.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.23 MYR 86.1

56.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.15 MYR 16.83

74.22%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.43 MYR 9.84

-32.92%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.48 MYR 1.95

127.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.25 MYR 1.01

192.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-60.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.30 MYR 17.43

-24.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.55 MYR 6.30

-32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.80 MYR 3.25

61.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.78 MYR 3.16

69.23%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.55 MYR 6.27

46.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$15.28 MYR 62.0

-71.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.90 MYR 11.75

102.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.16 MYR 24.99

39.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.45 MYR 5.86

55.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.43 MYR 5.79

-25.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.40 MYR 5.67

8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.85 MYR 3.44

67.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.82 MYR 3.32

42.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.15 MYR 4.67

1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.91 MYR 3.68

-2.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.43 MYR 1.76

109.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.96 MYR 12.02

-23.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$19.42 MYR 78.8

-43.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.43 MYR 5.79

-20.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.54 MYR 14.35

-32.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.69 MYR 2.81

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$11.59 MYR 46.99

261.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.68 MYR 2.75

107.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.53 MYR 2.15

258.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.61 MYR 14.65

114.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.50 MYR 2.03

102.00%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$30.7K MYR 124.3K

-42.66%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.6K MYR 112.0K

-4.09%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$38.47 MYR 156

117.52%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.49 MYR 34.42

11.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$26.12 MYR 106

-7.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.20 MYR 151

-31.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$5.79 MYR 23.48

230.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.13 MYR 16.73

-0.73%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$116 MYR 470

169.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,186 MYR 25.1K

-3.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$53.5 MYR 217

8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.18 MYR 77.8

69.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$60.9 MYR 247

63.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$53.3 MYR 216

103.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$255 MYR 1,032

89.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$140 MYR 567

171.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$846 MYR 3,430

-0.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$474 MYR 1,921

52.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$303 MYR 1,228

78.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.16

222.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kota Bharu: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $255 in Kota Bharu. 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 79% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Kota Bharu. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $204 in Kota Bharu – 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 Kota Bharu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 55% more than Kota Bharu, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $981 in Kota Bharu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 262% less in Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $116 in Kota Bharu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kota Bharu, where all-in costs run around $654, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Kota Bharu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kota Bharu costs $654 versus $1,017 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kota Bharu. 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.