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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $998 in Muar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,503 in Muar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,008 in Muar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 4% more than Muar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Muar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Muar 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.63 MYR 10.41

125.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$23.17 MYR 91.5

41.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.36 MYR 13.26

114.29%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.33 MYR 9.19

-27.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.78 MYR 3.09

41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.34 MYR 1.34

111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.16 MYR 16.44

-59.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$5.51 MYR 21.78

-43.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.91 MYR 7.53

-44.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.13 MYR 4.45

10.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.42 MYR 5.60

-2.11%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.90 MYR 7.52

18.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$22.60 MYR 89.3

-80.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.86 MYR 19.20

20.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.44 MYR 41.24

-15.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.90 MYR 15.40

-42.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.71 MYR 6.74

-36.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.30 MYR 13.05

-53.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.53 MYR 10.00

-45.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.70 MYR 6.73

-33.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.04 MYR 4.10

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.08 MYR 4.28

-21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.56 MYR 2.19

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.21 MYR 16.64

-44.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$18.68 MYR 73.8

-40.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$4.26 MYR 16.82

-72.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$5.66 MYR 22.34

-58.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.68 MYR 2.69

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$12.00 MYR 47.40

242.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.17 MYR 4.62

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.14 MYR 4.51

67.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.33 MYR 17.09

85.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.46 MYR 1.83

104.35%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$42.9K MYR 169.3K

-58.19%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$31.1K MYR 122.8K

-13.82%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$74.5 MYR 294

12.77%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.46 MYR 37.37

1.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$28.28 MYR 112

-14.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.60 MYR 145

-29.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.80 MYR 22.90

228.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.68 MYR 22.42

-30.99%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$118 MYR 464

160.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,393 MYR 17.4K

34.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$111 MYR 440

-47.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.19 MYR 107

17.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$75.7 MYR 299

32.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$78.5 MYR 310

36.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$380 MYR 1,500

28.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$265 MYR 1,047

38.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$657 MYR 2,595

25.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$480 MYR 1,897

49.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,635 MYR 6,460

78.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$903 MYR 3,569

55.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$645 MYR 2,548

-15.43%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Muar: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $380 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 18% higher in Muar, 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 $23.00 in Muar. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $311 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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,498 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 $23.00 in Muar. 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 $998 in Muar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Muar, where all-in costs run around $998, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.