Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Muar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Muar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,000 in Muar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,508 in Muar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,016 in Muar, rent included.

Medellin and Muar have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Medellin and Muar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Muar 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.65 MYR 10.81

123.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$23.99 MYR 98.0

37.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.23 MYR 13.18

130.03%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.32 MYR 9.47

-28.88%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.74 MYR 3.00

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.36 MYR 1.48

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-59.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$5.39 MYR 22.01

-41.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.85 MYR 7.54

-40.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.08 MYR 4.40

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.48 MYR 6.06

-6.76%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.89 MYR 7.73

15.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$22.49 MYR 91.8

-80.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.97 MYR 20.31

16.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.67 MYR 43.55

-15.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.91 MYR 15.95

-40.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-38.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.31 MYR 13.51

-54.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.54 MYR 10.36

-46.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.70 MYR 6.95

-33.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.00 MYR 4.06

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.08 MYR 4.42

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.52 MYR 2.12

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.15 MYR 16.94

-46.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$18.56 MYR 75.8

-34.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$4.33 MYR 17.70

-72.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$5.43 MYR 22.16

-54.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.74 MYR 3.04

14.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$11.87 MYR 48.48

250.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.16 MYR 4.74

22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.09 MYR 4.45

78.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.39 MYR 17.91

79.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.50 MYR 2.05

98.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$44.3K MYR 180.9K

-60.27%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$31.4K MYR 128.3K

-14.73%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$74.5 MYR 304

11.45%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$9.92 MYR 40.49

-2.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$28.49 MYR 116

-17.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$37.05 MYR 151

-31.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$5.93 MYR 24.22

222.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.64 MYR 23.01

-29.96%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$116 MYR 476

171.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,285 MYR 17.5K

39.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$109 MYR 444

-44.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$27.51 MYR 112

15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.3 MYR 312

33.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$79.4 MYR 324

35.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$389 MYR 1,590

21.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$272 MYR 1,110

37.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$646 MYR 2,637

31.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$467 MYR 1,906

54.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,950 MYR 7,963

67.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,129 MYR 4,609

27.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$608 MYR 2,483

2.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.96

239.14%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Muar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $389 in Muar. 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 3% higher in Medellin. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Muar. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $310 in Muar – 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 Muar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,499 in Muar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Muar, 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 $24.00 in Muar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 251% less in Muar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Muar, where all-in costs run around $1,000, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Muar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Muar – 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 Muar. 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.