Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kuala Belait Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kuala Belait

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,719 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,538 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,358 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Kuala Belait, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Kuala Belait sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Kuala Belait by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$7.74 BND 9.88

3.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$46.60 BND 59.5

2.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.63 BND 9.75

29.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 BND 2.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 BND 2.98

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.45 BND 5.69

-29.66%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.90 BND 1.15

112.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.50 BND 0.64

202.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.84 BND 2.35

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.42 BND 3.10

2.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.34 BND 2.99

-24.36%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.70 BND 3.44

9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$19.04 BND 24.33

-47.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$9.65 BND 12.34

4.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$24.79 BND 31.68

-42.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.84 BND 6.18

-14.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.26 BND 2.89

-28.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$4.80 BND 6.13

-53.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.49 BND 3.18

-9.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.69 BND 2.16

20.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.93 BND 3.74

-47.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$5.46 BND 6.98

-78.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.85 BND 1.09

54.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.62 BND 14.84

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.00 BND 7.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$7.93 BND 10.13

-50.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.82 BND 4.88

-65.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.35 BND 4.28

-34.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$11.86 BND 15.15

-26.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.35 BND 0.45

291.43%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$32.0K BND 40.9K

-13.00%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$27.0K BND 34.6K

32.26%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$39.38 BND 50.3

350.23%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$21.97 BND 28.07

-36.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$66.2 BND 84.5

-55.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$99.3 BND 127

-54.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$28.03 BND 35.82

-38.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.63 BND 7.19

18.12%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$218 BND 278

272.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$9,520 BND 12.2K

-3.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$77.6 BND 99.1

15.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$103 BND 131

-42.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$102 BND 131

34.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$72.3 BND 92.4

41.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$751 BND 959

41.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$802 BND 1,025

-17.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,181 BND 1,509

59.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,167 BND 1,491

-12.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,306 BND 4,224

-79.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.88

181.96%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kuala Belait: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $751 in Kuala Belait. 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 388% higher in Kuala Belait, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Kuala Belait. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $355 in Kuala Belait – 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 Kuala Belait: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,719 in Kuala Belait – roughly 2% apart. Kuala Belait costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,578 in Kuala Belait. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,719 in Kuala Belait. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $218 in Kuala Belait. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Kuala Belait at $1,719. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Belait 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 $1,681 in Medellin to $1,719 in Kuala Belait. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuala Belait makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.