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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $703 in Miri, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,113 in Miri, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,524 in Miri, rent included.

Medellin costs about 45% more than Miri, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Miri are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Miri 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.12 MYR 12.66

90.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$11.82 MYR 47.94

181.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.90 MYR 15.82

85.38%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.69 MYR 10.90

-39.41%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.70 MYR 2.83

55.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.36 MYR 1.48

102.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.90 MYR 11.75

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.84 MYR 15.57

-15.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.36 MYR 5.50

-22.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.40 MYR 5.68

-7.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.85 MYR 3.44

55.29%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.41 MYR 13.83

-33.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.76 MYR 43.65

-59.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.64 MYR 18.81

26.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.70 MYR 47.45

-26.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.05 MYR 12.38

-26.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.19 MYR 4.84

-10.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.28 MYR 9.26

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.38 MYR 5.60

2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.55 MYR 2.25

112.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.90 MYR 3.64

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.91 MYR 3.69

-2.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.36 MYR 1.48

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.25 MYR 17.23

-47.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$20.08 MYR 81.4

-45.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.91 MYR 11.79

-60.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.33 MYR 9.46

2.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.36 MYR 5.51

-38.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$8.64 MYR 35.03

385.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.16 MYR 4.72

21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.74 MYR 3.01

156.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.98 MYR 24.25

29.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.47 MYR 1.89

114.89%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$58.7K MYR 238.1K

-70.06%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.8K MYR 112.9K

-4.86%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$30.31 MYR 123

176.08%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.63 MYR 39.06

-1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$32.41 MYR 131

-25.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$28.31 MYR 115

-10.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.06 MYR 24.57

215.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.19 MYR 16.99

-2.15%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$97.3 MYR 395

220.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,106 MYR 20.7K

17.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$35.16 MYR 143

65.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.21 MYR 77.9

69.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$44.81 MYR 182

122.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$32.13 MYR 130

237.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$318 MYR 1,289

51.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$164 MYR 664

131.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$493 MYR 2,000

69.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$378 MYR 1,532

91.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,243 MYR 5,042

128.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$692 MYR 2,807

76.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$751 MYR 3,045

-27.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.63

269.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Miri: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $318 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 39% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Miri. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $245 in Miri – 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 Miri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,054 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 $33.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $703 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 $703, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.