Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Selangor Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Selangor

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $999 in Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,432 in Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,865 in Selangor, rent included.

Medellin costs about 3% more than Selangor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Selangor are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.55 MYR 10.42

141.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$23.88 MYR 97.7

36.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.73 MYR 15.26

96.78%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.30 MYR 9.40

-25.22%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.77 MYR 3.17

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.36 MYR 1.48

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$4.22 MYR 17.27

-59.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.38 MYR 22.00

-41.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.81 MYR 7.39

-41.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.01 MYR 4.15

28.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.50 MYR 6.12

-6.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.88 MYR 7.70

14.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.38 MYR 58.8

-69.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.68 MYR 19.14

25.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.88 MYR 40.41

-12.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.00 MYR 12.27

-24.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.56 MYR 6.40

-28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.73 MYR 11.18

-43.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.45 MYR 5.94

-6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.28 MYR 5.22

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.01 MYR 4.11

11.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.13 MYR 4.63

-24.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.51 MYR 2.10

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.33 MYR 17.71

-45.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$19.24 MYR 78.7

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$3.35 MYR 13.68

-64.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$4.26 MYR 17.41

-41.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.68 MYR 2.80

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$11.85 MYR 48.46

242.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.16 MYR 4.75

22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.10 MYR 4.51

74.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.35 MYR 17.77

76.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.50 MYR 2.05

98.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$40.5K MYR 165.5K

-55.43%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$30.8K MYR 125.9K

-13.50%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$64.9 MYR 265

24.55%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.99 MYR 40.88

-0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$25.88 MYR 106

-6.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$38.38 MYR 157

-34.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.27 MYR 29.74

163.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.17 MYR 21.13

-23.02%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$116 MYR 476

162.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,342 MYR 17.8K

39.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$60.9 MYR 249

-4.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$36.78 MYR 150

-12.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$74.9 MYR 306

34.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$78.8 MYR 322

36.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$449 MYR 1,838

6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$351 MYR 1,437

7.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$834 MYR 3,413

1.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$472 MYR 1,930

54.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,583 MYR 6,473

103.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$707 MYR 2,891

94.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,047 MYR 4,284

-41.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.96

239.14%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Selangor: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $449 in Selangor. 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 70% higher in Selangor, 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 $24.00 in Selangor. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $261 in Selangor – 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 Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,498 in Selangor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Selangor, 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 $24.00 in Selangor. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $999 in Selangor. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Selangor, where all-in costs run around $999, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Selangor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Selangor – 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 Selangor. 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.