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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,012 in Muar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,544 in Muar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,076 in Muar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 66% more than Muar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Muar is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$4.86 MYR 19.89

65.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$29.96 MYR 123

59.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.03 MYR 16.50

145.41%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.17 MYR 12.96

-1.26%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.80 MYR 3.27

138.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.47 MYR 1.94

221.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$4.52 MYR 18.52

-30.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$6.32 MYR 25.85

-9.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.11 MYR 8.64

-31.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.10 MYR 4.52

126.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.11 MYR 8.62

-16.11%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.49 MYR 10.20

18.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$15.92 MYR 65.2

-36.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.87 MYR 19.93

107.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$9.60 MYR 39.28

48.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.47 MYR 14.20

19.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.86 MYR 7.60

-13.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.40 MYR 9.81

-6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.64 MYR 6.72

37.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.30 MYR 5.32

56.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.39 MYR 5.69

10.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.17 MYR 4.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.70 MYR 2.85

87.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.44 MYR 18.16

-12.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$18.92 MYR 77.4

-25.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$3.44 MYR 14.07

-49.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$4.84 MYR 19.80

-40.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.68 MYR 2.79

79.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$12.41 MYR 50.8

548.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.26 MYR 5.15

3.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.48 MYR 1.97

356.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$4.90 MYR 20.04

77.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.82 MYR 3.36

67.07%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$42.7K MYR 174.9K

-34.87%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$34.8K MYR 142.6K

2.65%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$63.5 MYR 260

179.17%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$9.12 MYR 37.35

52.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$26.12 MYR 107

13.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$40.45 MYR 166

10.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$7.33 MYR 29.99

133.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$5.35 MYR 21.91

24.30%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$306 MYR 1,252

165.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$4,880 MYR 20.0K

88.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$70.6 MYR 289

26.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$41.99 MYR 172

40.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$89.0 MYR 364

55.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$100 MYR 410

1.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$368 MYR 1,507

188.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$348 MYR 1,422

90.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$615 MYR 2,517

207.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$432 MYR 1,767

137.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,970 MYR 8,064

112.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,132 MYR 4,635

47.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$622 MYR 2,548

8.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.2

160.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Muar: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $368 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 9% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Muar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $282 – making Muar 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 Muar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,518 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $30.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,012 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 $1,012, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.