Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Langkawi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Langkawi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $824 in Langkawi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,256 in Langkawi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,687 in Langkawi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Langkawi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Langkawi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Langkawi 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.60 MYR 14.22

64.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$21.43 MYR 84.6

52.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.30 MYR 24.89

14.29%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.50 MYR 5.92

13.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.86 MYR 3.40

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.61 MYR 2.42

18.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.49 MYR 13.78

-52.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.83 MYR 19.09

-35.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.57 MYR 6.19

-32.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.12 MYR 4.43

11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.24 MYR 4.90

12.10%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.07 MYR 8.19

9.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$15.32 MYR 60.5

-71.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.43 MYR 17.51

31.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.61 MYR 37.97

-8.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.93 MYR 7.60

16.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.52 MYR 6.00

-28.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.52 MYR 9.95

-39.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.37 MYR 5.41

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.24 MYR 4.90

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.27 MYR 5.02

-11.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.00 MYR 3.95

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.56 MYR 2.21

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.93 MYR 15.52

-40.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$18.62 MYR 73.6

-40.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.88 MYR 3.49

35.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.98 MYR 11.76

-20.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.69 MYR 2.74

14.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.87 MYR 46.88

246.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.16 MYR 4.58

24.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.03 MYR 4.05

85.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.97 MYR 23.58

34.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.50 MYR 1.98

88.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$35.3K MYR 139.4K

-49.21%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

-15.57%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$35.00 MYR 138

139.89%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.08 MYR 35.86

5.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$28.80 MYR 114

-16.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$21.42 MYR 84.6

20.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.96 MYR 23.54

219.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.88 MYR 19.29

-19.67%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$187 MYR 740

63.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,988 MYR 27.6K

-15.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$60.4 MYR 238

-4.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$26.84 MYR 106

18.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$73.5 MYR 290

35.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$50.9 MYR 201

110.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$394 MYR 1,555

23.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$266 MYR 1,051

38.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$639 MYR 2,526

29.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$467 MYR 1,844

53.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,743 MYR 6,883

67.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$835 MYR 3,298

68.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$2,131 MYR 8,417

-74.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.07

229.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Langkawi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $394 in Langkawi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 291% higher in Langkawi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Langkawi. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $237 in Langkawi – 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 Langkawi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $824 in Langkawi – roughly 25% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,236 in Langkawi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 247% less in Langkawi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $187 in Langkawi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Langkawi, where all-in costs run around $824, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Langkawi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $824 in Langkawi to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Langkawi. 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.