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 $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $856 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,300 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,745 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

Medellin costs about 20% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.61 MYR 10.62

129.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$23.23 MYR 94.4

41.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$3.72 MYR 15.12

99.46%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.68 MYR 6.83

-1.79%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.36 MYR 1.47

197.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.37 MYR 1.49

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$4.12 MYR 16.74

-58.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$5.51 MYR 22.42

-41.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.27 MYR 5.17

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.62 MYR 2.50

111.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.69 MYR 2.79

94.20%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.43 MYR 5.79

53.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$22.29 MYR 90.6

-80.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$2.55 MYR 10.38

123.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$7.45 MYR 30.30

14.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.99 MYR 16.24

-41.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.76 MYR 7.16

-36.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$3.33 MYR 13.52

-54.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$2.62 MYR 10.66

-47.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.68 MYR 6.84

-31.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.68 MYR 2.78

73.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.07 MYR 4.37

-21.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.45 MYR 1.84

91.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$4.37 MYR 17.75

-48.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$19.37 MYR 78.7

-40.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$4.27 MYR 17.37

-71.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$5.39 MYR 21.90

-53.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.74 MYR 3.02

6.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$12.01 MYR 48.82

239.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.15 MYR 4.69

27.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.14 MYR 4.63

68.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$4.18 MYR 16.99

85.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.46 MYR 1.88

119.57%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$43.1K MYR 175.1K

-59.01%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$13.3K MYR 54.0K

99.05%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$28.33 MYR 115

186.27%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$9.55 MYR 38.83

-1.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$20.88 MYR 84.9

14.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$36.41 MYR 148

-28.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$5.99 MYR 24.36

212.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$5.77 MYR 23.47

-29.12%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$116 MYR 472

170.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$4,335 MYR 17.6K

38.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$23.77 MYR 96.6

151.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$27.59 MYR 112

15.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$75.3 MYR 306

34.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$71.2 MYR 289

47.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$381 MYR 1,550

27.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$275 MYR 1,118

32.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$641 MYR 2,608

28.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$465 MYR 1,890

57.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,923 MYR 7,819

55.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$943 MYR 3,834

39.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$451 MYR 1,832

22.21%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lipis: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $381 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 22% 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 $273 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 20%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,284 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $856 in Kuala Lipis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 240% 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 $856, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.