Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rawang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rawang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $871 in Rawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,312 in Rawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,753 in Rawang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 19% more than Rawang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Rawang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Rawang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.11 MYR 12.27

90.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$20.85 MYR 82.4

57.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.30 MYR 16.97

67.44%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.97 MYR 11.72

-42.76%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.92 MYR 3.63

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.36 MYR 1.43

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.36 MYR 17.23

-61.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.53 MYR 17.91

-31.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.87 MYR 7.37

-43.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.03 MYR 4.05

21.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.65 MYR 6.50

-15.76%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.11 MYR 8.35

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.48 MYR 57.2

-70.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.71 MYR 18.59

23.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.48 MYR 37.44

-6.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.87 MYR 11.34

-21.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.50 MYR 5.91

-28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.69 MYR 10.61

-43.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.45 MYR 5.75

-5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.13 MYR 4.47

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.17 MYR 4.62

-4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.90 MYR 3.55

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.45 MYR 1.79

102.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.31 MYR 17.04

-45.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$19.28 MYR 76.2

-42.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.71 MYR 10.69

-56.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.49 MYR 13.80

-32.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.68 MYR 2.70

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.87 MYR 46.87

246.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.73 MYR 2.86

97.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.50 MYR 1.99

282.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.83 MYR 19.10

66.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.47 MYR 1.86

100.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$33.6K MYR 132.8K

-46.69%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.0K MYR 110.4K

-4.18%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$38.27 MYR 151

119.39%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.96 MYR 39.35

-3.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.00 MYR 103

-7.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.49 MYR 148

-30.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.93 MYR 23.44

221.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.06 MYR 20.00

-22.53%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$239 MYR 944

28.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,317 MYR 25.0K

-6.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$55.0 MYR 217

5.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$28.85 MYR 114

10.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$60.1 MYR 237

66.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$53.4 MYR 211

100.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$389 MYR 1,538

24.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$270 MYR 1,068

36.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$633 MYR 2,501

30.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$474 MYR 1,872

51.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,783 MYR 7,045

64.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$898 MYR 3,546

56.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,272 MYR 5,023

-57.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.16

222.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Rawang: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $389 in Rawang. 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 133% higher in Rawang, 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 $21.00 in Rawang. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $255 in Rawang – 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 Rawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,306 in Rawang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rawang, 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 $21.00 in Rawang. 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 $871 in Rawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rawang, where all-in costs run around $871, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Rawang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rawang – 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 Rawang. 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.