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 $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $709 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,061 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,412 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 138% more than Kota Bharu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Kota Bharu is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$2.19 MYR 8.84

260.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$15.50 MYR 62.6

187.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$5.01 MYR 20.24

85.43%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.19 MYR 8.84

32.42%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.51 MYR 2.05

254.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.28 MYR 1.14

453.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.44 MYR 9.84

33.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$4.40 MYR 17.77

33.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.56 MYR 6.28

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.92 MYR 3.70

166.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.84 MYR 3.39

79.76%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.55 MYR 6.24

79.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$15.48 MYR 62.6

-41.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$3.12 MYR 12.62

241.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$6.52 MYR 26.34

124.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.40 MYR 9.70

65.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.46 MYR 5.90

-5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.29 MYR 9.24

0.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.12 MYR 4.54

80.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.88 MYR 3.57

137.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.80 MYR 3.22

103.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.71 MYR 2.86

52.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.45 MYR 1.84

177.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.38 MYR 13.64

19.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$21.56 MYR 87.1

-37.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.50 MYR 10.11

-36.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.61 MYR 14.59

-16.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.76 MYR 3.09

55.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$12.55 MYR 50.7

536.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.26 MYR 5.11

27.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.51 MYR 2.05

317.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$3.63 MYR 14.68

134.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.48 MYR 1.93

181.25%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$31.6K MYR 127.5K

-10.28%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$28.5K MYR 115.2K

25.14%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$51.0 MYR 206

197.00%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$8.40 MYR 33.94

55.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$27.51 MYR 111

17.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$49.56 MYR 200

-6.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$4.30 MYR 17.39

49.53%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$124 MYR 500

574.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$5,037 MYR 20.4K

76.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$54.1 MYR 219

65.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$19.56 MYR 79.0

182.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$74.0 MYR 299

84.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$87.8 MYR 355

24.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$244 MYR 985

290.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$126 MYR 507

432.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$681 MYR 2,753

196.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$224 MYR 906

412.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$296 MYR 1,197

111.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

4.43

135.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Kota Bharu: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $244 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 111% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Kota Bharu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $227 – making Kota Bharu 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 Kota Bharu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 138% more than Kota Bharu, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,063 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 537% less in Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $835 per month in Medellin and $124 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 $709, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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 $709 versus $1,687 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.