Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Miri Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Miri

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $820 in Miri, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,253 in Miri, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,686 in Miri, rent included.

Medellin costs about 105% more than Miri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Miri is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.59 MYR 14.66

123.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$12.47 MYR 50.9

283.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.65 MYR 18.99

112.69%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.38 MYR 9.73

31.51%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.85 MYR 3.46

124.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.28 MYR 1.13

439.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.98 MYR 12.16

4.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.86 MYR 15.75

48.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.43 MYR 5.83

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.89 MYR 7.73

31.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.01 MYR 4.14

75.25%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.55 MYR 14.48

-16.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.82 MYR 19.69

109.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.88 MYR 60.7

-3.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.96 MYR 7.99

-17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.36 MYR 1.45

263.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.47 MYR 18.26

-12.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$19.69 MYR 80.4

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.04 MYR 12.40

-42.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.32 MYR 9.49

23.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.50 MYR 2.05

144.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$14.52 MYR 59.3

454.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.19 MYR 4.87

10.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.60 MYR 2.44

265.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$6.17 MYR 25.18

41.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.60 MYR 2.44

128.33%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$50.2K MYR 204.8K

-44.52%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$33.6K MYR 137.0K

6.60%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$50.2 MYR 205

253.05%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$9.62 MYR 39.26

44.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$32.89 MYR 134

-9.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$29.83 MYR 122

50.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$6.09 MYR 24.87

181.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.53 MYR 18.50

46.80%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$102 MYR 415

699.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$6,506 MYR 26.6K

41.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$44.24 MYR 181

102.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$22.85 MYR 93.3

158.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$56.7 MYR 231

143.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$42.85 MYR 175

138.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$340 MYR 1,388

212.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$286 MYR 1,168

131.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$596 MYR 2,431

217.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$581 MYR 2,370

76.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,224 MYR 4,999

241.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$672 MYR 2,744

149.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$689 MYR 2,811

-1.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.12

165.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Miri: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $340 in Miri. 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 2% higher in Miri, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Miri. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $195 – making Miri 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 Miri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 105%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,229 in Miri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Miri, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $12.00 in Miri. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $820 in Miri. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Miri, where all-in costs run around $820, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Miri it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Miri – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Miri. 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.