Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puchong Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puchong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $828 in Puchong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,267 in Puchong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,707 in Puchong, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Puchong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Puchong are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Puchong 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.46 MYR 14.23

73.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$18.74 MYR 77.1

75.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$4.78 MYR 19.65

55.23%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.91 MYR 11.97

-43.30%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.80 MYR 3.29

33.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.49 MYR 2.03

55.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$4.35 MYR 17.91

-60.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$6.00 MYR 24.67

-46.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.84 MYR 7.58

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.00 MYR 4.13

31.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.35 MYR 5.54

-0.74%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$1.88 MYR 7.74

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$11.17 MYR 45.96

-60.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$4.50 MYR 18.53

26.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$8.33 MYR 34.29

2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$3.00 MYR 12.34

-22.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.03 MYR 4.23

7.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$2.72 MYR 11.18

-44.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.46 MYR 6.03

-6.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.36 MYR 5.61

-15.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.39 MYR 5.73

-15.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.07 MYR 4.42

-21.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.57 MYR 2.36

50.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$4.14 MYR 17.04

-45.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$14.48 MYR 59.6

-19.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$2.90 MYR 11.92

-58.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.98 MYR 12.24

-16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.72 MYR 2.97

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$11.55 MYR 47.51

253.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$1.16 MYR 4.78

26.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.00 MYR 4.10

92.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$4.79 MYR 19.71

62.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$0.49 MYR 2.03

106.12%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$20.4K MYR 83.8K

-13.31%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$25.6K MYR 105.2K

3.51%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$46.26 MYR 190

75.31%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$9.62 MYR 39.58

-1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$25.96 MYR 107

-8.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$37.60 MYR 155

-30.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$7.11 MYR 29.27

163.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$5.18 MYR 21.33

-21.04%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$189 MYR 779

66.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$9,480 MYR 39.0K

-36.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$58.6 MYR 241

1.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$37.02 MYR 152

-13.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$82.8 MYR 341

22.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$70.0 MYR 288

50.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$267 MYR 1,099

81.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$216 MYR 890

68.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$644 MYR 2,651

28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$420 MYR 1,727

74.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,633 MYR 6,720

83.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$807 MYR 3,319

62.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,343 MYR 5,527

-59.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.47

200.45%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Puchong: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $267 in Puchong. 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 144% higher in Puchong, 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 $19.00 in Puchong. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $229 in Puchong – 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 Puchong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,242 in Puchong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puchong, 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 $19.00 in Puchong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $828 in Puchong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Puchong, where all-in costs run around $828, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Puchong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puchong – 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 Puchong. 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.