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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,642 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,431 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,220 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

Medellin is about 38% cheaper than Kuala Belait, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Kuala Belait is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.62 BND 4.63

65.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$46.89 BND 60.0

-29.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.69 BND 9.84

-7.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 BND 2.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 BND 2.95

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$4.51 BND 5.77

-62.08%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.97 BND 1.23

13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.56 BND 0.72

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.45 BND 3.14

-55.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.49 BND 3.19

-49.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.29 BND 2.93

-39.74%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.60 BND 3.33

-15.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$18.55 BND 23.73

-76.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$9.84 BND 12.59

-42.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$25.05 BND 32.05

-64.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$4.68 BND 5.99

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.63 BND 3.37

-59.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.10 BND 3.97

-51.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.80 BND 3.58

-50.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.64 BND 2.10

-29.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.21 BND 2.83

-47.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$5.49 BND 7.03

-83.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.81 BND 1.04

3.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.53 BND 14.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.91 BND 7.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BND 1.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$7.62 BND 9.75

-70.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$4.56 BND 5.83

-67.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$11.88 BND 15.21

-34.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.35 BND 0.45

171.43%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$23.0K BND 29.4K

-21.15%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$26.9K BND 34.4K

-1.38%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$39.27 BND 50.3

109.45%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$21.38 BND 27.36

-55.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$64.1 BND 82.0

-62.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$96.8 BND 124

-73.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$21.48 BND 27.48

-11.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.33 BND 6.83

-26.27%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$157 BND 201

97.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$9,152 BND 11.7K

-34.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$98.8 BND 126

-40.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$99.5 BND 127

-67.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$125 BND 160

-17.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$64.8 BND 82.9

67.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$727 BND 930

-34.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$766 BND 980

-50.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,167 BND 1,494

-28.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,166 BND 1,493

-37.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,392 BND 4,341

-84.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.06

230.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kuala Belait: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $727 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 563% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Kuala Belait. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $356 – making Medellin 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 Kuala Belait: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $1,642 in Kuala Belait – roughly 62% apart. Kuala Belait costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,463 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,642 in Kuala Belait. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $157 in Kuala Belait. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Kuala Belait at $1,642. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,642 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.