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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $753 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,157 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,562 in Malacca, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Malacca are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Malacca 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.61 MYR 14.63

64.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$18.57 MYR 75.3

79.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.59 MYR 18.62

57.52%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.89 MYR 11.72

-43.60%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.79 MYR 3.19

37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.49 MYR 1.98

48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.14 MYR 8.66

-18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.12 MYR 12.67

3.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.48 MYR 6.01

-29.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.98 MYR 3.99

31.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.23 MYR 5.00

7.32%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.81 MYR 7.35

25.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$15.36 MYR 62.3

-71.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.99 MYR 20.23

17.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.48 MYR 46.57

-25.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.74 MYR 15.16

-39.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.48 MYR 5.98

-27.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.65 MYR 10.74

-42.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-30.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.53 MYR 6.22

-23.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-32.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.28 MYR 5.17

-30.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.56 MYR 2.27

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.15 MYR 16.82

-45.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$14.09 MYR 57.2

-21.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.99 MYR 8.08

-42.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.92 MYR 11.85

-18.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.45 MYR 1.84

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$11.84 MYR 48.02

254.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.39 MYR 5.64

1.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.99 MYR 4.01

91.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.88 MYR 23.84

31.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.49 MYR 2.00

106.12%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$35.9K MYR 145.5K

-50.99%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$38.2K MYR 154.8K

-30.61%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$44.85 MYR 182

86.58%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.25 MYR 37.53

2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$30.20 MYR 122

-20.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$16.76 MYR 68.0

51.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$11.71 MYR 47.48

63.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.90 MYR 19.86

-16.33%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$188 MYR 762

66.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,873 MYR 27.9K

-12.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$65.5 MYR 266

-11.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.13 MYR 77.6

70.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$71.8 MYR 291

38.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$40.10 MYR 163

170.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$334 MYR 1,355

44.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$189 MYR 768

100.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$706 MYR 2,862

18.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$281 MYR 1,139

157.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,956 MYR 7,932

45.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$991 MYR 4,017

23.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$934 MYR 3,788

-42.10%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Malacca: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $334 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 73% 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 $254 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $753 in Malacca – roughly 35% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,129 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $753 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 $753, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $753 in Malacca to $1,017 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.