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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $932 in Kuala Terengganu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,379 in Kuala Terengganu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,826 in Kuala Terengganu.

Living in Medellin is roughly 80% more expensive than in Kuala Terengganu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Kuala Terengganu is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$2.53 MYR 10.35

217.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$23.42 MYR 95.9

104.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.06 MYR 20.70

95.45%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.74 MYR 11.21

14.23%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.47 MYR 1.90

306.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.28 MYR 1.15

439.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.77 MYR 15.45

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.50 MYR 18.40

27.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.77 MYR 7.26

-18.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.05 MYR 4.30

137.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.52 MYR 6.22

16.45%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.91 MYR 7.84

54.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$11.50 MYR 47.08

-12.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.52 MYR 18.51

123.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$10.20 MYR 41.73

40.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.49 MYR 14.27

18.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.59 MYR 6.52

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.42 MYR 9.92

-7.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.68 MYR 6.89

33.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.27 MYR 5.20

60.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.32 MYR 5.41

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.18 MYR 4.81

-0.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.57 MYR 2.32

129.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.53 MYR 18.56

-13.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$17.43 MYR 71.4

-19.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.93 MYR 11.99

-40.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$3.49 MYR 14.30

-17.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.77 MYR 3.15

58.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$10.74 MYR 43.95

649.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.12 MYR 4.58

16.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.45 MYR 1.85

386.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$8.33 MYR 34.08

4.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.82 MYR 3.35

67.07%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$46.2K MYR 189.1K

-39.76%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$34.7K MYR 141.9K

3.18%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$53.7 MYR 220

230.35%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$9.08 MYR 37.17

52.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$30.68 MYR 126

-3.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$42.43 MYR 174

5.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$6.89 MYR 28.22

148.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.51 MYR 18.45

47.45%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$175 MYR 717

363.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$5,228 MYR 21.4K

75.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$64.9 MYR 266

37.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$30.80 MYR 126

91.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$79.6 MYR 326

73.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$67.4 MYR 276

51.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$454 MYR 1,857

134.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$273 MYR 1,118

142.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$681 MYR 2,787

177.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$551 MYR 2,256

86.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,147 MYR 8,787

94.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,004 MYR 4,109

66.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$494 MYR 2,021

37.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.2

160.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $454 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $23.00 in Kuala Terengganu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $249 per month, with Kuala Terengganu cheaper across the board.

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 Terengganu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Kuala Terengganu differ by about 80% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $932 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $454 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $932 in Kuala Terengganu – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 649% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $932 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kuala Terengganu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kuala Terengganu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Kuala Terengganu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kuala Terengganu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.