Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kuantan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kuantan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $844 in Kuantan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,245 in Kuantan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,646 in Kuantan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 99% more than Kuantan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Kuantan is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$2.40 MYR 9.83

234.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$12.37 MYR 50.6

286.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$3.62 MYR 14.81

173.20%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.83 MYR 11.58

10.60%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.72 MYR 2.95

165.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.44 MYR 1.81

243.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.77 MYR 11.35

12.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$5.61 MYR 22.95

2.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.62 MYR 6.62

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.83 MYR 3.38

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.49 MYR 6.09

18.79%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.34 MYR 5.50

120.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$9.89 MYR 40.49

1.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$3.24 MYR 13.24

212.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$4.38 MYR 17.94

226.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.90 MYR 11.85

42.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.88 MYR 7.71

-14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.69 MYR 11.02

-16.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.76 MYR 7.20

27.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.76 MYR 7.18

15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.98 MYR 8.10

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.71 MYR 2.91

64.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.55 MYR 2.26

138.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.31 MYR 17.64

-9.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$19.24 MYR 78.8

-27.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.93 MYR 7.90

-9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.00 MYR 8.20

43.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.47 MYR 1.91

159.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$12.27 MYR 50.2

555.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.13 MYR 4.63

15.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.39 MYR 1.59

461.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$9.26 MYR 37.91

-5.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.48 MYR 1.96

185.42%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$34.7K MYR 141.9K

-19.72%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$33.4K MYR 136.6K

7.18%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$48.65 MYR 199

264.44%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$8.18 MYR 33.47

69.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$24.98 MYR 102

18.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$40.04 MYR 164

12.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$6.00 MYR 24.56

185.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.57 MYR 18.71

45.51%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$279 MYR 1,142

191.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$10.5K MYR 42.9K

-12.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$51.5 MYR 211

73.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$30.18 MYR 124

95.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$49.67 MYR 203

178.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$49.06 MYR 201

108.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$418 MYR 1,711

154.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$319 MYR 1,306

107.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$688 MYR 2,816

174.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$484 MYR 1,981

112.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,086 MYR 8,537

100.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,132 MYR 4,634

47.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$999 MYR 4,091

-32.19%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kuantan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $418 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 47% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Kuantan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $211 – making Kuantan 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 Kuantan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 99%, 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 $1,266 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $279 in Kuantan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuantan, where all-in costs run around $844, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.

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 Kuantan. 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.