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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $974 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,486 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,999 in Kulim, rent included.

Medellin costs about 6% more than Kulim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kulim are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kulim 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$2.63 MYR 10.39

125.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$23.24 MYR 91.8

42.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$3.78 MYR 14.95

91.80%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.22 MYR 8.77

-22.97%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.78 MYR 3.08

39.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.36 MYR 1.43

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$4.27 MYR 16.86

-59.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$5.46 MYR 21.55

-41.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.91 MYR 7.53

-44.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.08 MYR 4.27

20.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.44 MYR 5.70

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$1.85 MYR 7.31

19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$22.34 MYR 88.2

-79.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.79 MYR 18.93

21.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$10.47 MYR 41.37

-14.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$3.97 MYR 15.70

-42.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.70 MYR 6.70

-37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$3.30 MYR 13.05

-54.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$2.57 MYR 10.13

-47.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.76 MYR 6.96

-34.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.03 MYR 4.08

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.12 MYR 4.42

-25.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.50 MYR 1.99

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$4.17 MYR 16.45

-43.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$21.07 MYR 83.2

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$4.26 MYR 16.84

-73.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$5.35 MYR 21.14

-53.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.50 MYR 1.96

58.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$11.99 MYR 47.36

249.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.20 MYR 4.74

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.98 MYR 3.89

93.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$4.35 MYR 17.19

77.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$0.46 MYR 1.83

123.91%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$44.3K MYR 175.0K

-60.10%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$31.3K MYR 123.6K

-13.68%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$74.7 MYR 295

9.03%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$9.62 MYR 37.99

-2.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$28.70 MYR 113

-17.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$37.19 MYR 147

-30.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$5.88 MYR 23.21

228.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$5.63 MYR 22.23

-28.06%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$118 MYR 467

164.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

39.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$110 MYR 434

-46.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$26.82 MYR 106

22.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$74.1 MYR 293

35.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$80.1 MYR 316

32.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$390 MYR 1,541

25.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$266 MYR 1,052

39.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$642 MYR 2,537

30.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$480 MYR 1,896

48.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,919 MYR 7,579

53.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$892 MYR 3,522

56.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kulim: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $390 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 in Medellin versus $23 in Kulim. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $314 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 6% 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,460 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 65% 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 $23.00 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 $974, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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 $974 versus $1,030 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.