Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kulim Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kulim

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $981 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,514 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,048 in Kulim, rent included.

Medellin costs about 4% more than Kulim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kulim are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Kulim 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$2.54 MYR 10.31

134.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$23.96 MYR 97.2

39.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$3.82 MYR 15.52

89.27%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$2.26 MYR 9.17

-27.88%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.74 MYR 3.00

47.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.36 MYR 1.47

102.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$4.33 MYR 17.58

-59.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$5.27 MYR 21.37

-38.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.91 MYR 7.77

-45.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$1.13 MYR 4.59

14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$1.43 MYR 5.81

-7.69%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$1.85 MYR 7.50

22.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$22.18 MYR 90.0

-80.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$4.97 MYR 20.17

18.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$10.66 MYR 43.25

-19.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$3.84 MYR 15.59

-41.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.70 MYR 6.89

-37.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$3.41 MYR 13.86

-55.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-44.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$1.76 MYR 7.14

-33.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.05 MYR 4.25

11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$1.07 MYR 4.34

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.55 MYR 2.24

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$4.15 MYR 16.84

-45.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$17.62 MYR 71.5

-37.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$4.20 MYR 17.04

-72.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$5.38 MYR 21.84

-55.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$0.53 MYR 2.17

58.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$11.77 MYR 47.75

256.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$1.21 MYR 4.90

16.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$1.03 MYR 4.16

84.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$4.39 MYR 17.80

76.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$0.50 MYR 2.03

102.00%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$44.1K MYR 179.0K

-60.15%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$31.6K MYR 128.2K

-16.13%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$73.0 MYR 296

14.66%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$9.90 MYR 40.18

-4.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$28.12 MYR 114

-14.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$36.80 MYR 149

-31.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$5.71 MYR 23.19

235.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$5.61 MYR 22.76

-26.92%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$117 MYR 476

165.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$4,336 MYR 17.6K

38.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$112 MYR 453

-48.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$27.79 MYR 113

17.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$74.1 MYR 301

34.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$79.0 MYR 321

37.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$383 MYR 1,556

25.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$266 MYR 1,079

42.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$638 MYR 2,587

31.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$474 MYR 1,924

52.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$2,197 MYR 8,917

29.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$972 MYR 3,946

25.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.96

239.14%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kulim: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $383 in Kulim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Kulim. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $308 in Kulim – 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 Kulim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 4% more than Kulim, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,471 in Kulim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kulim, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 62% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $24.00 in Kulim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kulim, where all-in costs run around $981, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Kulim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kulim costs $981 versus $1,017 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kulim. 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.