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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $774 in Kuantan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,170 in Kuantan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,565 in Kuantan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Kuantan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Kuantan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kuantan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.37 MYR 9.70

159.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$11.90 MYR 48.68

173.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.49 MYR 14.29

110.32%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.24 MYR 9.17

-23.21%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.66 MYR 2.71

59.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.34 MYR 1.37

126.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$3.44 MYR 14.08

-50.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.54 MYR 22.67

-42.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.66 MYR 6.79

-36.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.08 MYR 4.41

20.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.05 MYR 4.30

33.33%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.31 MYR 5.34

64.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.11 MYR 41.35

-56.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.38 MYR 13.82

73.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.19 MYR 25.31

39.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.87 MYR 11.74

-20.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.79 MYR 7.33

-37.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.02 MYR 12.37

-49.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.04 MYR 8.35

-33.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.33 MYR 5.44

-15.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.01 MYR 4.13

11.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.68 MYR 2.78

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 MYR 2.11

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.31 MYR 17.64

-45.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$19.31 MYR 79.0

-35.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.85 MYR 7.59

-35.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.92 MYR 7.86

29.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.46 MYR 1.86

82.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$19.99 MYR 81.8

102.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.01 MYR 4.15

40.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.40 MYR 1.64

380.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.25 MYR 17.37

80.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.49 MYR 2.00

102.04%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.4K MYR 132.3K

-44.27%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$31.1K MYR 127.1K

-14.32%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$23.97 MYR 98.0

237.13%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.31 MYR 38.09

6.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$21.38 MYR 87.4

13.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$37.35 MYR 153

-32.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.03 MYR 24.68

217.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.12 MYR 16.86

-3.40%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$116 MYR 474

163.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,346 MYR 17.8K

39.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$69.7 MYR 285

-16.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$27.78 MYR 114

15.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$37.84 MYR 155

166.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$47.25 MYR 193

128.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$167 MYR 685

184.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$266 MYR 1,087

41.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$211 MYR 862

300.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$466 MYR 1,907

56.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,099 MYR 8,583

53.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,163 MYR 4,756

18.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$985 MYR 4,028

-37.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.62

270.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kuantan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $167 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 60% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Kuantan. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $217 in Kuantan – 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 Kuantan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,161 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 $305 per month in Medellin and $116 in Kuantan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuantan, where all-in costs run around $774, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.