Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Putrajaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Putrajaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $788 in Putrajaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,196 in Putrajaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,604 in Putrajaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 31% more than Putrajaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Putrajaya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Putrajaya 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.48 MYR 14.16

72.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$18.95 MYR 77.0

73.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$4.72 MYR 19.20

57.20%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.93 MYR 11.90

-43.69%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.76 MYR 3.08

40.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.37 MYR 1.52

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$3.64 MYR 14.78

-52.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.57 MYR 18.56

-29.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.65 MYR 6.71

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.84 MYR 3.43

55.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.25 MYR 5.07

7.20%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.81 MYR 7.34

20.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$6.68 MYR 27.17

-33.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$4.27 MYR 17.37

33.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$9.55 MYR 38.82

-10.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.15 MYR 12.79

-25.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.33 MYR 5.42

-16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$3.21 MYR 13.05

-52.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.63 MYR 6.62

-15.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.51 MYR 6.14

-23.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.75 MYR 7.11

-32.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.63 MYR 6.64

-48.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.53 MYR 2.14

62.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$4.22 MYR 17.14

-46.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$14.31 MYR 58.2

-18.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.88 MYR 11.69

-58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.97 MYR 12.06

-16.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.74 MYR 3.01

6.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$11.75 MYR 47.78

247.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.92 MYR 3.74

59.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.99 MYR 4.03

93.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$5.97 MYR 24.27

30.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.50 MYR 2.02

102.00%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$35.3K MYR 143.5K

-50.00%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$38.0K MYR 154.5K

-30.41%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$46.46 MYR 189

74.56%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$8.96 MYR 36.43

5.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$22.71 MYR 92.3

5.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$37.91 MYR 154

-31.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$8.80 MYR 35.79

112.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$4.81 MYR 19.57

-14.97%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$184 MYR 749

70.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$7,038 MYR 28.6K

-14.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$66.0 MYR 268

-9.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$18.54 MYR 75.4

72.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$73.6 MYR 299

37.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$40.41 MYR 164

160.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$340 MYR 1,381

42.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$233 MYR 947

56.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$616 MYR 2,505

34.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$376 MYR 1,528

94.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,062 MYR 8,380

45.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,462 MYR 5,944

-10.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,230 MYR 4,999

-55.22%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Putrajaya: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $340 in Putrajaya. 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 123% higher in Putrajaya, 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 Putrajaya. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $222 in Putrajaya – 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 Putrajaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,182 in Putrajaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Putrajaya, 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 Putrajaya. 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 $788 in Putrajaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Putrajaya, where all-in costs run around $788, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Putrajaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Putrajaya – 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 Putrajaya. 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.