Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Putra Heights Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Putra Heights

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $881 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,343 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,805 in Putra Heights, rent included.

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

Both Medellin and Putra Heights are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Putra Heights 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.58 MYR 14.16

65.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$18.86 MYR 74.5

73.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.83 MYR 19.07

49.07%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.88 MYR 11.38

-40.97%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.85 MYR 3.35

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.46 MYR 1.81

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.31 MYR 17.02

-61.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$6.03 MYR 23.81

-48.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.89 MYR 7.47

-43.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.01 MYR 4.00

23.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.29 MYR 5.09

7.75%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.84 MYR 7.27

22.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.79 MYR 58.4

-70.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.54 MYR 17.92

28.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.89 MYR 39.07

-10.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.91 MYR 11.49

-23.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.53 MYR 6.06

-29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.68 MYR 10.57

-42.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.47 MYR 5.79

-6.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.27 MYR 5.01

-11.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.40 MYR 5.54

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.16 MYR 4.60

-26.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.52 MYR 2.06

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.36 MYR 17.23

-46.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$14.67 MYR 58.0

-24.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.87 MYR 11.33

-58.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.02 MYR 11.93

-21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.72 MYR 2.86

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.99 MYR 47.36

243.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.19 MYR 4.71

21.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.98 MYR 3.88

94.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.63 MYR 18.29

73.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.50 MYR 1.98

88.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.9K MYR 137.9K

-48.67%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$32.5K MYR 128.4K

-17.60%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$65.2 MYR 258

28.71%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.01 MYR 35.61

6.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$25.57 MYR 101

-5.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.46 MYR 144

-29.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.99 MYR 23.67

217.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.23 MYR 20.66

-25.05%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$191 MYR 753

60.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,828 MYR 27.0K

-13.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$61.6 MYR 243

-5.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.14 MYR 75.6

66.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$74.1 MYR 293

34.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$39.30 MYR 155

172.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$382 MYR 1,510

27.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$265 MYR 1,046

39.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$657 MYR 2,595

25.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$462 MYR 1,826

54.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,803 MYR 7,120

62.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$883 MYR 3,488

59.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,151 MYR 4,548

-52.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.07

229.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Putra Heights: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $382 in Putra Heights. 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 111% higher in Putra Heights, 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 Putra Heights. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $247 in Putra Heights – 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 Putra Heights: 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,321 in Putra Heights. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Putra Heights, 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 Putra Heights. 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 $881 in Putra Heights. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Putra Heights, where all-in costs run around $881, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Putra Heights it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Putra Heights – 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 Putra Heights. 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.