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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $869 in Penang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,385 in Penang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,901 in Penang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% more than Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Penang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.04 MYR 12.34

95.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.59 MYR 87.5

54.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.33 MYR 17.57

66.97%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.94 MYR 11.90

-44.56%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.68 MYR 2.78

60.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.36 MYR 1.48

102.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-60.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.46 MYR 18.10

-27.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.81 MYR 7.32

-41.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.99 MYR 4.00

30.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-34.98%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.13 MYR 8.65

6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$17.36 MYR 70.4

-74.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.21 MYR 21.12

12.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-42.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.87 MYR 11.66

-21.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.47 MYR 5.96

-27.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.57 MYR 10.43

-40.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.11 MYR 8.57

-32.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.18 MYR 4.79

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.16 MYR 4.71

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.95 MYR 3.87

-6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.49 MYR 1.97

83.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-48.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$19.63 MYR 79.6

-43.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.62 MYR 10.61

-56.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.40 MYR 13.80

-30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.45 MYR 1.82

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$17.40 MYR 70.6

141.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.69 MYR 2.80

104.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.54 MYR 2.21

251.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$7.20 MYR 29.19

7.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.47 MYR 1.89

114.89%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

-46.60%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

-2.83%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$38.60 MYR 157

116.79%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$10.06 MYR 40.79

-6.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$31.44 MYR 127

-23.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$33.04 MYR 134

-23.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$5.42 MYR 21.97

253.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.91 MYR 19.90

-16.50%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$238 MYR 963

31.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

-3.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$54.6 MYR 221

6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$28.39 MYR 115

14.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$60.5 MYR 245

64.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$53.5 MYR 217

102.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$387 MYR 1,569

24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$230 MYR 933

64.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$640 MYR 2,597

30.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$525 MYR 2,131

37.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,250 MYR 9,123

26.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,186 MYR 4,807

3.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$951 MYR 3,858

-43.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.16

222.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $387 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 76% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Penang. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $287 in Penang – 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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,304 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $22.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $869 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 $869, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.