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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $836 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,318 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,800 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Kuala Lipis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kuala Lipis are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kuala Lipis 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.62 MYR 10.34

125.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$23.43 MYR 92.6

39.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.80 MYR 15.01

89.47%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.70 MYR 6.71

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.36 MYR 1.43

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.33 MYR 1.32

118.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.29 MYR 16.94

-61.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$5.52 MYR 21.80

-43.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.33 MYR 5.25

-20.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.60 MYR 2.37

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.68 MYR 2.68

104.41%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.43 MYR 5.66

58.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$22.00 MYR 86.9

-80.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.57 MYR 10.15

127.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.58 MYR 29.93

16.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$4.04 MYR 15.94

-44.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.72 MYR 6.81

-37.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.33 MYR 13.16

-54.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.61 MYR 10.32

-47.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.75 MYR 6.93

-35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.67 MYR 2.65

67.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.08 MYR 4.28

-21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.45 MYR 1.77

102.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.18 MYR 16.50

-44.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$19.85 MYR 78.4

-43.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$4.39 MYR 17.35

-72.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$5.57 MYR 22.02

-57.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.74 MYR 2.93

6.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.92 MYR 47.07

245.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.15 MYR 4.52

25.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.13 MYR 4.47

69.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.42 MYR 17.47

81.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.49 MYR 1.95

91.84%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$43.9K MYR 173.4K

-59.17%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$12.9K MYR 51.1K

106.94%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$27.83 MYR 110

201.69%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.67 MYR 38.20

-0.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$20.64 MYR 81.5

17.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.18 MYR 143

-28.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.98 MYR 23.63

218.39%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.72 MYR 22.58

-31.47%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$118 MYR 465

160.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,371 MYR 17.3K

35.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$23.60 MYR 93.2

145.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.49 MYR 109

15.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$75.1 MYR 296

33.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$72.0 MYR 284

48.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$387 MYR 1,530

25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$272 MYR 1,076

35.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$637 MYR 2,515

29.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$480 MYR 1,896

49.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,766 MYR 6,977

65.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$891 MYR 3,518

57.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$461 MYR 1,823

18.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.96

239.14%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lipis: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $387 in Kuala Lipis. 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 18% 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 $23.00 in Kuala Lipis. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $275 in Kuala Lipis – 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 Lipis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,253 in Kuala Lipis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuala Lipis, 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $836 in Kuala Lipis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 245% less in Kuala Lipis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuala Lipis, where all-in costs run around $836, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Kuala Lipis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuala Lipis – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kuala Lipis. 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.