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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $813 in Putrajaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,223 in Putrajaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,633 in Putrajaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Putrajaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Putrajaya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Putrajaya 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.61 MYR 14.24

63.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$19.11 MYR 75.5

71.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.58 MYR 18.11

57.21%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.02 MYR 11.94

-43.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.76 MYR 2.99

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.38 MYR 1.49

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.56 MYR 14.07

-53.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.47 MYR 17.64

-30.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.65 MYR 6.52

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.80 MYR 3.15

56.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.24 MYR 4.91

12.10%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.80 MYR 7.11

25.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.41 MYR 25.33

-32.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.43 MYR 17.48

31.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.28 MYR 36.67

-4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.16 MYR 12.48

-29.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.34 MYR 5.29

-19.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.14 MYR 12.42

-51.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.61 MYR 6.38

-14.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.50 MYR 5.94

-24.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.80 MYR 7.11

-37.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.64 MYR 6.47

-48.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.56 MYR 2.23

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.16 MYR 16.43

-43.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$14.83 MYR 58.6

-24.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.85 MYR 11.25

-58.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.92 MYR 11.53

-18.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.69 MYR 2.71

14.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.86 MYR 46.86

246.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.90 MYR 3.56

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.02 MYR 4.05

87.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.76 MYR 22.73

39.24%

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

$35.9K MYR 141.7K

-50.03%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$38.0K MYR 149.9K

-29.42%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$46.05 MYR 182

82.32%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.11 MYR 36.00

5.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.53 MYR 89.0

7.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.33 MYR 147

-30.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$8.78 MYR 34.70

116.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.89 MYR 19.33

-19.84%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$187 MYR 740

63.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,902 MYR 27.3K

-14.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$65.5 MYR 259

-11.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$18.86 MYR 74.5

68.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$73.7 MYR 291

35.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$40.66 MYR 161

163.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$344 MYR 1,357

41.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$236 MYR 932

55.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$640 MYR 2,528

29.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$373 MYR 1,474

91.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,097 MYR 8,282

39.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,496 MYR 5,908

-5.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,283 MYR 5,068

-57.49%

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 Putrajaya: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $344 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 135% 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 27%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,219 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $813 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 $813, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.