Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Malacca Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Malacca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $762 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,165 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,568 in Malacca, rent included.

Medellin costs about 36% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Malacca are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Malacca 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.57 MYR 14.11

65.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$18.93 MYR 74.8

73.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.73 MYR 18.69

52.22%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.86 MYR 11.28

-40.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.80 MYR 3.15

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.48 MYR 1.90

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.17 MYR 8.58

-23.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.22 MYR 12.72

-3.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.44 MYR 5.70

-26.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.00 MYR 3.93

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.29 MYR 5.08

7.75%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.80 MYR 7.10

25.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$15.58 MYR 61.5

-72.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.03 MYR 19.85

16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.40 MYR 45.04

-22.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.58 MYR 14.14

-37.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.51 MYR 5.96

-28.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.66 MYR 10.49

-42.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.02 MYR 7.98

-32.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.46 MYR 5.75

-22.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.82 MYR 7.18

-38.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.26 MYR 4.99

-32.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.55 MYR 2.19

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.32 MYR 17.07

-46.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$14.35 MYR 56.7

-22.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.00 MYR 7.90

-40.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.98 MYR 11.78

-20.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.48 MYR 1.90

64.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.90 MYR 47.00

245.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.42 MYR 5.62

1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.99 MYR 3.92

92.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.91 MYR 23.36

35.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.47 MYR 1.85

100.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.7K MYR 137.0K

-48.32%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$39.0K MYR 154.2K

-31.38%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$44.96 MYR 178

86.74%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$8.97 MYR 35.45

7.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$31.14 MYR 123

-22.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$16.33 MYR 64.5

58.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$11.70 MYR 46.20

62.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.98 MYR 19.67

-21.29%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$190 MYR 749

61.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,904 MYR 27.3K

-14.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$65.1 MYR 257

-11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$18.55 MYR 73.3

71.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$72.5 MYR 286

37.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$40.69 MYR 161

163.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$331 MYR 1,306

47.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$185 MYR 733

98.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$705 MYR 2,786

17.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$285 MYR 1,124

151.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,216 MYR 4,803

140.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$811 MYR 3,202

73.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$954 MYR 3,766

-42.79%

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 Malacca: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $331 in Malacca. 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 75% higher in Malacca, 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 $19.00 in Malacca. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $255 in Malacca – 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 Malacca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $762 in Malacca – roughly 36% 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 $1,143 in Malacca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Malacca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $762 in Malacca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malacca, where all-in costs run around $762, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Malacca 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 $762 in Malacca 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 Malacca. 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.