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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $643 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,124 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,605 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 61% more than Kota Bharu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Kota Bharu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kota Bharu 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$1.74 MYR 6.89

240.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$21.18 MYR 83.7

54.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$4.18 MYR 16.53

72.25%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$2.33 MYR 9.20

-27.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.45 MYR 1.77

144.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.27 MYR 1.07

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$4.26 MYR 16.85

-60.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$4.28 MYR 16.90

-27.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.51 MYR 5.95

-29.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$0.81 MYR 3.19

54.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$0.85 MYR 3.34

63.53%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$1.47 MYR 5.82

53.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$15.28 MYR 60.4

-71.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$2.88 MYR 11.37

102.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$6.21 MYR 24.51

42.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$1.40 MYR 5.52

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.40 MYR 5.53

-22.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$1.45 MYR 5.72

5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$0.87 MYR 3.43

57.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$0.82 MYR 3.22

37.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$1.20 MYR 4.73

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$0.91 MYR 3.61

-6.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.44 MYR 1.73

106.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$2.98 MYR 11.79

-21.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$19.39 MYR 76.6

-42.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$1.42 MYR 5.61

-16.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$3.52 MYR 13.90

-32.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.69 MYR 2.73

14.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$12.01 MYR 47.45

242.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$0.73 MYR 2.90

97.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$0.54 MYR 2.14

253.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$3.45 MYR 13.64

132.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.47 MYR 1.84

100.00%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$31.1K MYR 122.8K

-42.34%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$27.3K MYR 107.7K

-1.70%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$39.38 MYR 156

113.20%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$8.08 MYR 31.92

18.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$26.98 MYR 107

-10.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$36.25 MYR 143

-28.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$5.81 MYR 22.93

227.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-8.84%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$119 MYR 470

157.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$6,108 MYR 24.1K

-3.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$52.6 MYR 208

10.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$19.07 MYR 75.3

66.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$61.6 MYR 243

62.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$52.0 MYR 205

106.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$262 MYR 1,035

85.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$141 MYR 559

160.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$868 MYR 3,430

-4.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$470 MYR 1,856

52.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$302 MYR 1,191

80.93%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kota Bharu: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $262 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 81% 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 $203 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 61% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $964 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 242% less in Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $119 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 $643, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $643 versus $1,034 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.