Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kuantan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuantan: $820 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Kuantan
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Kuantan Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Kuantan

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$820

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kuantan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Kuantan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $820 in Kuantan, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Kuantan $820

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $1,248 in Kuantan, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Kuantan $1,248

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $1,676 in Kuantan, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Kuantan $1,676

Medellin costs about 106% more than Kuantan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Kuantan is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 27.0K

$2.43 MYR 9.92

243.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.9K

$12.28 MYR 50.1

278.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.7K

$3.53 MYR 14.39

168.27%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.2K

$2.81 MYR 11.45

11.39%

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

$1.77 COP 5,728

$0.67 MYR 2.73

164.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,620

$0.42 MYR 1.70

238.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

$2.79 MYR 11.36

12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.5K

$5.88 MYR 23.98

-3.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,971

$1.61 MYR 6.55

-4.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,431

$0.81 MYR 3.29

182.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,308

$1.46 MYR 5.95

32.88%

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,945

$1.34 MYR 5.45

129.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.4K

$9.73 MYR 39.66

2.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.9K

$3.32 MYR 13.51

214.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.3K

$4.35 MYR 17.74

220.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

$2.92 MYR 11.90

38.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,957

$1.95 MYR 7.94

-21.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,825

$2.67 MYR 10.88

-21.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,439

$1.74 MYR 7.11

31.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,841

$1.76 MYR 7.17

19.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,543

$1.90 MYR 7.76

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,795

$0.70 MYR 2.83

67.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,125

$0.55 MYR 2.25

187.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.7K

$4.22 MYR 17.19

-7.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.6K

$19.87 MYR 81.0

-29.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,714

$1.93 MYR 7.88

-8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,796

$1.94 MYR 7.90

39.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,826

$0.51 MYR 2.07

131.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 247.4K

$12.05 MYR 49.12

533.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,860

$1.09 MYR 4.44

66.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,906

$0.35 MYR 1.44

508.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.4K

$8.92 MYR 36.34

-8.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,136

$0.51 MYR 2.09

150.98%

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

$34.4K COP 111.7M

$34.3K MYR 139.6K

0.51%

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

$34.1K COP 110.7M

$35.1K MYR 143.0K

-2.72%

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

$178 COP 576.4K

$48.55 MYR 198

266.08%

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

$13.89 COP 45.0K

$8.40 MYR 34.22

65.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.7K

$24.38 MYR 99.3

26.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 136.0K

$37.84 MYR 154

10.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.5K

$6.51 MYR 26.54

158.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.2K

$4.58 MYR 18.68

63.10%

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

$790 COP 2.6M

$281 MYR 1,143

181.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.9M

$10.4K MYR 42.4K

18.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 280.0K

$52.3 MYR 213

65.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 192.2K

$30.31 MYR 124

95.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 448.7K

$49.21 MYR 201

181.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 320.5K

$49.39 MYR 201

100.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

$414 MYR 1,688

223.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.2M

$288 MYR 1,173

131.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

$732 MYR 2,982

170.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

$561 MYR 2,288

84.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.3M

$2,019 MYR 8,229

102.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.3M

$1,175 MYR 4,789

65.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

$965 MYR 3,930

-33.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.15

163.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kuantan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Kuantan

$288 35.1% 56.9% $379

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Kuantan

$212 25.8% 31.2% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Kuantan

$81 9.9% 63.4% $141

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Kuantan

$94 11.4% 45.6% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Kuantan

$82 9.9% 52.7% $91

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Kuantan

$17 2.1% 81.9% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Kuantan

$47 5.7% 17.4% $9.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $414 in Kuantan. 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 49% higher in Kuantan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $12 in Kuantan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $212 – making Kuantan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇲🇾 Kuantan

🕒 Local time

21:24 9:24 PM

10:24 10:24 AM

13 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

548,014

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.08 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.219 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,243 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,627 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 4.07 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.56 MYR (1 MYR = 0.219 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Kuantan 18,890 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Kuantan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kuantan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 106%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $1,230 in Kuantan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuantan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $414 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.

Kindergarten costs $790 per month in Medellin and $281 in Kuantan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kuantan, where all-in costs run around $820, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Kuantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Kuantan is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 52% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.