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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $950 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,391 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,832 in Putra Heights, rent included.

Medellin costs about 77% more than Putra Heights, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Putra Heights is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$3.65 MYR 14.95

119.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$21.70 MYR 88.8

120.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.93 MYR 20.19

100.61%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.86 MYR 11.70

9.44%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.84 MYR 3.46

127.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.44 MYR 1.81

243.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$4.45 MYR 18.21

-29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$6.11 MYR 25.02

-5.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.76 MYR 7.22

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.07 MYR 4.38

132.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.44 MYR 5.90

22.92%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.74 MYR 7.12

70.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$15.73 MYR 64.4

-35.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.53 MYR 18.56

123.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$9.58 MYR 39.20

49.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.45 MYR 14.13

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.67 MYR 6.83

-3.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.41 MYR 9.87

-6.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.60 MYR 6.55

40.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.36 MYR 5.59

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.44 MYR 5.89

6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.17 MYR 4.77

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.51 MYR 2.11

156.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.31 MYR 17.66

-9.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$13.99 MYR 57.3

0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.98 MYR 12.21

-41.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.99 MYR 12.25

-4.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.72 MYR 2.95

69.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$12.09 MYR 49.49

565.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.26 MYR 5.16

3.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.78 MYR 3.17

180.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$4.96 MYR 20.30

75.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.82 MYR 3.35

67.07%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$42.4K MYR 173.4K

-34.31%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$35.0K MYR 143.4K

2.08%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$65.1 MYR 266

172.48%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$9.41 MYR 38.52

47.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$26.20 MYR 107

13.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$41.09 MYR 168

9.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$7.58 MYR 31.02

125.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$5.39 MYR 22.08

23.38%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$165 MYR 676

391.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$5,404 MYR 22.1K

69.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$65.5 MYR 268

36.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$16.47 MYR 67.4

258.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$82.1 MYR 336

68.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$40.65 MYR 166

151.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$408 MYR 1,669

160.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$319 MYR 1,307

107.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$673 MYR 2,753

180.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$483 MYR 1,975

112.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,986 MYR 8,129

110.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,234 MYR 5,051

35.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,103 MYR 4,514

-38.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.06

169.46%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Putra Heights: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $408 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 63% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Putra Heights. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $251 – making Putra Heights 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 Putra Heights: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 77%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,424 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $22.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $950 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 $950, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.