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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $863 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,321 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,780 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

Medellin costs about 95% more than Kuala Lipis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Kuala Lipis is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$3.80 MYR 15.53

111.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$24.85 MYR 102

92.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$3.88 MYR 15.89

154.90%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.12 MYR 12.79

0.32%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.36 MYR 1.47

430.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.42 MYR 1.70

259.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.28 MYR 13.43

-4.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$5.79 MYR 23.70

-0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.33 MYR 5.46

8.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.58 MYR 2.38

329.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$0.72 MYR 2.93

145.83%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.50 MYR 6.13

97.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$9.58 MYR 39.23

5.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$2.72 MYR 11.15

272.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$7.96 MYR 32.59

79.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.47 MYR 14.20

19.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.92 MYR 7.86

-16.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.73 MYR 11.18

-17.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.74 MYR 7.14

29.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.98 MYR 8.10

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.45 MYR 5.92

-19.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.50 MYR 2.05

162.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.44 MYR 18.16

-12.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$19.34 MYR 79.2

-27.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.62 MYR 10.73

-33.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$4.47 MYR 18.28

-35.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.72 MYR 2.95

69.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$12.18 MYR 49.87

560.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.25 MYR 5.11

4.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.36 MYR 1.47

508.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$9.23 MYR 37.76

-5.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.52 MYR 2.13

163.46%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$41.6K MYR 170.3K

-33.10%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$13.7K MYR 56.0K

161.31%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$29.15 MYR 119

508.23%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$8.47 MYR 34.67

63.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$21.62 MYR 88.5

37.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$34.78 MYR 142

29.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$5.74 MYR 23.48

198.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.94 MYR 20.20

34.62%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$280 MYR 1,147

190.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$10.6K MYR 43.5K

-13.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$24.68 MYR 101

262.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$30.08 MYR 123

96.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$78.1 MYR 320

76.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$72.4 MYR 296

40.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$392 MYR 1,604

170.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$304 MYR 1,242

118.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$768 MYR 3,144

145.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$467 MYR 1,913

119.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,035 MYR 8,329

105.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,106 MYR 4,527

51.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$445 MYR 1,822

52.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.51

142.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lipis: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $392 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 52% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Kuala Lipis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $226 – making Kuala Lipis 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 Lipis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,294 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $863 in Kuala Lipis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 561% 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 $863, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.