Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $837 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,307 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,776 in Penang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 101% more than Penang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Penang is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.72 MYR 15.20

115.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$19.77 MYR 80.7

142.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.57 MYR 18.67

116.41%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.98 MYR 12.15

5.03%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.74 MYR 3.01

158.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.37 MYR 1.49

308.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.30 MYR 17.55

-27.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.53 MYR 18.49

26.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.80 MYR 7.35

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.06 MYR 4.31

134.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.72 MYR 7.03

2.91%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.14 MYR 8.74

38.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$13.06 MYR 53.3

-22.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.32 MYR 17.64

134.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.52 MYR 34.79

67.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.93 MYR 11.96

41.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.66 MYR 6.76

-3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.57 MYR 10.48

-12.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.46 MYR 5.97

54.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.11 MYR 4.54

83.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.16 MYR 4.75

32.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.14 MYR 4.66

2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.54 MYR 2.21

142.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.74 MYR 19.33

-17.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$18.98 MYR 77.5

-26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.01 MYR 12.31

-42.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.98 MYR 16.25

-27.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.50 MYR 2.04

144.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$12.18 MYR 49.73

560.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.73 MYR 7.07

-24.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.38 MYR 1.55

476.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$7.46 MYR 30.47

16.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.87 MYR 3.56

57.47%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$41.9K MYR 171.3K

-33.64%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$34.9K MYR 142.3K

2.63%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$36.65 MYR 150

383.77%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$9.91 MYR 40.47

40.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$29.71 MYR 121

0.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$39.12 MYR 160

14.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$4.82 MYR 19.66

255.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.22 MYR 21.31

27.39%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$432 MYR 1,763

88.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$10.6K MYR 43.3K

-13.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$59.3 MYR 242

50.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$35.89 MYR 147

64.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$83.0 MYR 339

66.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$71.4 MYR 292

43.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$409 MYR 1,670

159.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$228 MYR 932

190.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$583 MYR 2,381

223.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$414 MYR 1,690

148.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,244 MYR 9,163

86.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,058 MYR 4,320

58.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$914 MYR 3,730

-25.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.24

158.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $409 in Penang. 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 35% higher in Penang, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Penang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $250 – making Penang 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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 101%, 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 $1,256 in Penang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Penang, 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 $20.00 in Penang. 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 $837 in Penang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Penang, where all-in costs run around $837, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Penang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Penang – 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 Penang. 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.