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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $705 in Miri, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,097 in Miri, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,490 in Miri, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Miri, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Miri are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Miri 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$3.21 MYR 12.69

84.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$12.00 MYR 47.40

172.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$4.08 MYR 16.12

76.47%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$2.64 MYR 10.43

-35.61%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.75 MYR 2.95

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.34 MYR 1.32

111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$2.89 MYR 11.40

-42.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$3.87 MYR 15.28

-19.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.36 MYR 5.36

-22.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$1.45 MYR 5.71

-13.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$0.80 MYR 3.15

73.75%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$3.35 MYR 13.23

-32.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$11.06 MYR 43.68

-60.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$4.77 MYR 18.82

22.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$11.82 MYR 46.69

-25.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$3.10 MYR 12.26

-27.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.14 MYR 4.49

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$2.27 MYR 8.96

-32.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$1.44 MYR 5.69

-4.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$0.59 MYR 2.35

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$0.93 MYR 3.67

20.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$0.96 MYR 3.80

-11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.36 MYR 1.43

152.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$4.10 MYR 16.20

-43.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$19.84 MYR 78.4

-43.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$2.90 MYR 11.46

-58.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$2.35 MYR 9.27

0.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$1.36 MYR 5.38

-41.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$8.73 MYR 34.49

371.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$1.16 MYR 4.59

24.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$0.75 MYR 2.97

154.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$5.93 MYR 23.41

35.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.49 MYR 1.94

91.84%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$58.9K MYR 232.5K

-69.55%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$28.2K MYR 111.2K

-4.84%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$30.80 MYR 122

172.60%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$9.60 MYR 37.93

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$32.90 MYR 130

-26.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$28.07 MYR 111

-7.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$5.84 MYR 23.06

226.03%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$4.18 MYR 16.51

-6.22%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$100 MYR 396

205.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$5,157 MYR 20.4K

14.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$35.95 MYR 142

61.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$19.09 MYR 75.4

66.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$45.64 MYR 180

118.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$31.69 MYR 125

238.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$310 MYR 1,224

57.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$167 MYR 658

120.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$494 MYR 1,950

67.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$379 MYR 1,499

88.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,284 MYR 5,070

127.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$703 MYR 2,775

100.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$744 MYR 2,940

-26.70%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Miri: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $310 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 36% 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 $246 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 47%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,057 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $705 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 $705, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.