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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $777 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,228 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,678 in Kuching.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$2.80 MYR 11.43

111.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$20.41 MYR 83.4

61.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$4.59 MYR 18.77

61.87%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.58 MYR 10.53

-36.05%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.71 MYR 2.90

54.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.30 MYR 1.21

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.88 MYR 11.77

-40.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.74 MYR 15.29

-14.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.89 MYR 7.72

-41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.08 MYR 4.42

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.05 MYR 4.31

31.43%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.19 MYR 8.95

-0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$9.58 MYR 39.17

-53.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.84 MYR 15.71

50.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.22 MYR 33.60

9.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.98 MYR 12.19

-22.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.15 MYR 4.69

-7.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-41.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.77 MYR 7.24

-23.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.15 MYR 4.71

-1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.24 MYR 5.08

-5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.71 MYR 6.98

-47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.52 MYR 2.13

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$4.19 MYR 17.12

-46.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$20.46 MYR 83.6

-40.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$3.88 MYR 15.86

-69.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$3.41 MYR 13.93

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.23 MYR 0.94

269.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$11.80 MYR 48.21

252.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.96 MYR 3.94

47.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.13 MYR 4.62

72.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$1.90 MYR 7.78

315.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.50 MYR 2.05

98.00%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$45.9K MYR 187.6K

-61.65%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$37.2K MYR 152.2K

-28.05%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$41.82 MYR 171

98.49%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$9.22 MYR 37.70

5.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$25.53 MYR 104

-7.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$29.85 MYR 122

-15.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$9.81 MYR 40.08

94.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$4.64 MYR 18.94

-14.87%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$143 MYR 586

120.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

-3.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$66.3 MYR 271

-9.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$31.34 MYR 128

1.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$87.5 MYR 358

16.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$71.7 MYR 293

49.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$284 MYR 1,160

67.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$201 MYR 820

86.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$569 MYR 2,326

49.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$387 MYR 1,583

85.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$2,088 MYR 8,535

56.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,510 MYR 6,172

-4.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$530 MYR 2,167

17.77%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 18% 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 $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $243, 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.

Average pay runs 18% 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: $475 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 $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $777 in Kuching – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $777 in Kuching versus $1,003 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.