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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,003 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,508 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,014 in Kulim, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2% more than Kulim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kulim are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Kulim 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$2.61 MYR 10.66

127.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$23.18 MYR 94.8

42.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$3.84 MYR 15.71

85.42%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$2.23 MYR 9.10

-23.32%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$0.71 MYR 2.92

47.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.34 MYR 1.37

111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$4.30 MYR 17.59

-60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$5.32 MYR 21.74

-40.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$1.89 MYR 7.71

-43.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$1.13 MYR 4.62

15.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$1.44 MYR 5.87

-7.64%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$1.84 MYR 7.53

23.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$22.46 MYR 91.8

-80.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$4.76 MYR 19.44

24.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$10.41 MYR 42.55

-17.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$4.06 MYR 16.61

-42.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$1.69 MYR 6.90

-34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$3.46 MYR 14.15

-57.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-48.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$1.74 MYR 7.13

-32.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$0.99 MYR 4.05

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$1.11 MYR 4.56

-18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$0.56 MYR 2.27

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$4.35 MYR 17.77

-46.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$16.46 MYR 67.3

-27.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$4.21 MYR 17.21

-72.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$5.65 MYR 23.11

-57.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

$0.49 MYR 2.01

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

$11.98 MYR 48.96

240.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$1.19 MYR 4.88

18.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$0.99 MYR 4.05

92.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$4.42 MYR 18.08

77.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$0.47 MYR 1.92

100.00%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$44.1K MYR 180.2K

-59.58%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$31.0K MYR 126.5K

-12.51%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$75.6 MYR 309

10.10%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$9.93 MYR 40.58

-2.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$28.60 MYR 117

-15.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$37.15 MYR 152

-32.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$5.85 MYR 23.93

230.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$5.62 MYR 22.97

-27.58%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$117 MYR 478

162.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$4,247 MYR 17.4K

40.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$108 MYR 442

-44.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$27.39 MYR 112

19.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$74.9 MYR 306

34.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$78.5 MYR 321

37.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$390 MYR 1,595

21.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$271 MYR 1,106

39.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$657 MYR 2,687

24.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$467 MYR 1,909

51.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$1,759 MYR 7,191

81.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$1,263 MYR 5,161

14.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Kulim: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Kulim. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Medellin vs $307 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 2% 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,504 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 60% 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 $1,003, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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 $1,003 versus $1,018 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.