Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $804 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,223 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,642 in Kuching.

Living in Medellin is roughly 29% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$2.80 MYR 11.08

111.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$20.00 MYR 79.0

63.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$4.68 MYR 18.49

53.85%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$2.45 MYR 9.69

-30.61%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.75 MYR 2.94

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.32 MYR 1.27

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$2.89 MYR 11.43

-42.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$3.63 MYR 14.33

-14.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.90 MYR 7.51

-44.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$1.12 MYR 4.43

11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.02 MYR 4.03

36.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$2.26 MYR 8.91

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$9.55 MYR 37.72

-54.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$3.73 MYR 14.72

56.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$7.99 MYR 31.56

10.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$3.08 MYR 12.18

-27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.15 MYR 4.54

-6.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$2.62 MYR 10.36

-41.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$1.81 MYR 7.15

-24.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$1.11 MYR 4.40

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$1.24 MYR 4.89

-9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-51.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.53 MYR 2.10

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$4.22 MYR 16.67

-44.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$21.58 MYR 85.3

-48.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$3.84 MYR 15.18

-69.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$3.47 MYR 13.71

-31.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.25 MYR 0.99

216.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$11.84 MYR 46.78

247.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$0.98 MYR 3.88

46.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$1.11 MYR 4.38

72.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$1.92 MYR 7.60

317.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.47 MYR 1.84

100.00%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

-61.10%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

-26.17%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$40.86 MYR 161

105.48%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$9.15 MYR 36.13

4.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$25.01 MYR 98.8

-3.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$29.43 MYR 116

-12.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$9.87 MYR 39.00

92.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$4.72 MYR 18.65

-16.95%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$145 MYR 575

110.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

-3.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$65.8 MYR 260

-12.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$31.81 MYR 126

0.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$86.1 MYR 340

16.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$71.3 MYR 282

50.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$284 MYR 1,123

71.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$203 MYR 800

81.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$566 MYR 2,237

45.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$378 MYR 1,494

89.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,090 MYR 8,254

39.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,556 MYR 6,145

-9.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$554 MYR 2,186

-1.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.27

214.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $245, 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 Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kuching earns 1% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $284 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $804 in Kuching – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $804 in Kuching versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.