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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $589 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $944 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,298 in Malacca, rent included.

Medellin costs about 186% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Malacca is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$3.37 MYR 13.60

134.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$22.39 MYR 90.5

98.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$4.97 MYR 20.10

86.92%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.98 MYR 12.04

-2.68%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.84 MYR 3.40

115.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.48 MYR 1.93

222.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.01 MYR 8.11

61.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.01 MYR 12.17

95.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.68 MYR 6.78

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.07 MYR 4.31

128.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.50 MYR 6.06

0.67%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.66 MYR 6.72

67.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$17.93 MYR 72.4

-49.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.66 MYR 18.81

128.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$10.90 MYR 44.04

34.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.31 MYR 13.37

19.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.73 MYR 7.00

-20.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.51 MYR 10.13

-8.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.61 MYR 6.52

25.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.42 MYR 5.72

47.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.74 MYR 7.04

-6.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.32 MYR 5.32

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.55 MYR 2.23

127.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$4.30 MYR 17.36

-6.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$14.35 MYR 58.0

-6.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.13 MYR 8.60

-24.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.04 MYR 12.29

-1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.51 MYR 2.05

131.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$12.23 MYR 49.43

553.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.46 MYR 5.91

10.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.76 MYR 3.06

180.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$12.38 MYR 50.0

-31.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.49 MYR 1.96

175.51%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$41.8K MYR 169.0K

-32.27%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$36.0K MYR 145.4K

-0.86%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$52.5 MYR 212

188.40%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$11.12 MYR 44.93

17.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$28.38 MYR 115

13.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$22.58 MYR 91.2

105.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$11.81 MYR 47.72

46.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$4.90 MYR 19.80

31.22%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$167 MYR 675

400.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$4,500 MYR 18.2K

97.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$65.9 MYR 266

35.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$16.77 MYR 67.8

229.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$81.2 MYR 328

68.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$41.00 MYR 166

166.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$200 MYR 808

376.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,182 MYR 4,775

212.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$796 MYR 3,215

99.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

4.06

156.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Malacca: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $200 in Malacca. 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Malacca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $260 – making Malacca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,687 in Medellin, $589 in Malacca – roughly 186% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $884 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $22.00 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $589 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 $589, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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 $589 in Malacca to $1,687 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.