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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $696 in Kuala Terengganu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,142 in Kuala Terengganu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,588 in Kuala Terengganu.

Living in Medellin is roughly 48% more expensive than in Kuala Terengganu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kuala Terengganu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.41 MYR 9.87

155.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$22.12 MYR 90.5

47.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.58 MYR 18.72

60.26%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.92 MYR 11.96

-41.10%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.48 MYR 1.96

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.27 MYR 1.11

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$3.60 MYR 14.71

-53.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.00 MYR 20.45

-36.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.55 MYR 6.33

-32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.96 MYR 3.91

35.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.31 MYR 5.35

6.87%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.12 MYR 8.67

1.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$15.02 MYR 61.4

-70.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.43 MYR 18.12

32.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.49 MYR 38.80

-8.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.90 MYR 11.85

-21.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.50 MYR 6.15

-26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.52 MYR 10.31

-39.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.42 MYR 5.82

-4.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.18 MYR 4.82

-4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.27 MYR 5.20

-11.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.03 MYR 4.22

-17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 MYR 2.15

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.31 MYR 17.61

-45.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$18.63 MYR 76.2

-33.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.83 MYR 11.59

-57.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.02 MYR 12.34

-17.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.74 MYR 3.02

13.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$11.55 MYR 47.23

251.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.15 MYR 4.72

23.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.98 MYR 4.02

95.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.96 MYR 24.38

28.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.49 MYR 2.02

102.04%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$34.9K MYR 142.6K

-48.28%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$31.3K MYR 128.1K

-15.00%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$43.18 MYR 177

87.15%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.96 MYR 36.63

11.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$29.00 MYR 119

-16.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$37.41 MYR 153

-32.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$5.73 MYR 23.45

234.21%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.85 MYR 19.82

-17.94%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$187 MYR 763

63.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,827 MYR 27.9K

-11.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$61.3 MYR 251

-5.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$27.14 MYR 111

18.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$73.5 MYR 301

37.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$50.8 MYR 208

112.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$200 MYR 820

137.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$116 MYR 474

224.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$648 MYR 2,651

30.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$273 MYR 1,116

167.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,050 MYR 8,383

56.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,138 MYR 4,653

20.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$490 MYR 2,003

25.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.07

229.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $200 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 26% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $22.00 in Kuala Terengganu. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $249, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 48% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $696 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $200 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $696 in Kuala Terengganu – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 251% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $696 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,031 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 48% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.