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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $796 in Putrajaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,205 in Putrajaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,614 in Putrajaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Putrajaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Putrajaya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Putrajaya 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.56 MYR 14.53

66.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$18.70 MYR 76.4

76.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.58 MYR 18.70

62.23%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,212

$2.86 MYR 11.69

-42.31%

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

$1.10 COP 3,472

$0.80 MYR 3.26

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,461

$0.37 MYR 1.52

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,417

$3.45 MYR 14.08

-50.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.39 MYR 17.94

-27.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,478

$1.67 MYR 6.82

-34.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,966

$0.83 MYR 3.41

51.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,354

$1.28 MYR 5.25

7.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,866

$1.88 MYR 7.68

15.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$6.57 MYR 26.81

-31.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$4.31 MYR 17.60

34.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$9.23 MYR 37.67

-2.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,315

$3.21 MYR 13.12

-27.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,356

$1.38 MYR 5.64

-23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,779

$3.11 MYR 12.69

-51.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,274

$1.55 MYR 6.32

-12.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$1.52 MYR 6.19

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$1.73 MYR 7.07

-32.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,841

$1.66 MYR 6.77

-45.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$0.52 MYR 2.12

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,041

$4.27 MYR 17.43

-47.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$13.30 MYR 54.3

-8.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,747

$2.84 MYR 11.58

-58.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,823

$2.87 MYR 11.73

-13.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.72 MYR 2.94

18.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.2K

$11.84 MYR 48.33

251.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,463

$0.98 MYR 3.99

44.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,147

$0.98 MYR 4.01

98.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.9K

$6.02 MYR 24.57

31.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,122

$0.46 MYR 1.89

115.22%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$35.7K MYR 145.7K

-50.67%

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

$26.8K COP 84.5M

$37.9K MYR 154.8K

-29.34%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$45.30 MYR 185

83.25%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$9.28 MYR 37.88

4.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$22.62 MYR 92.4

3.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

$38.22 MYR 156

-33.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

$9.01 MYR 36.80

111.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.09 MYR 20.78

-22.40%

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

$316 COP 995.3K

$186 MYR 759

69.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,832 MYR 27.9K

-12.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$66.0 MYR 269

-9.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$19.02 MYR 77.6

67.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$73.8 MYR 301

37.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.7K

$39.92 MYR 163

169.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$342 MYR 1,396

38.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$235 MYR 959

59.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$620 MYR 2,533

36.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$380 MYR 1,552

89.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,685 MYR 11.0K

21.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,803 MYR 7,364

-20.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,041 MYR 4,251

-40.02%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Putrajaya: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $342 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 67% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $219 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 26%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,193 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $796 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 $796, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.