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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,008 in Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,449 in Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,890 in Selangor, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Selangor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Selangor are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.56 MYR 10.22

133.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$23.14 MYR 92.3

42.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.74 MYR 14.94

89.57%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.23 MYR 8.89

-23.32%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.77 MYR 3.08

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.33 MYR 1.33

136.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$4.19 MYR 16.73

-59.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$5.33 MYR 21.28

-42.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.83 MYR 7.31

-40.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.01 MYR 4.02

24.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.45 MYR 5.78

-4.83%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.83 MYR 7.28

19.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$14.43 MYR 57.6

-69.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.66 MYR 18.57

20.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.83 MYR 39.22

-9.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.87 MYR 11.45

-18.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.64 MYR 6.56

-35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.69 MYR 10.72

-44.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.51 MYR 6.02

-8.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.27 MYR 5.06

-9.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.99 MYR 3.96

17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.08 MYR 4.31

-17.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.54 MYR 2.17

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.32 MYR 17.22

-47.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$19.54 MYR 78.0

-45.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$3.37 MYR 13.44

-64.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$4.26 MYR 16.99

-42.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.74 MYR 2.96

16.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$11.61 MYR 46.33

256.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.21 MYR 4.82

21.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.10 MYR 4.40

78.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.38 MYR 17.49

76.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.46 MYR 1.85

106.52%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$39.3K MYR 156.8K

-53.86%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$31.9K MYR 127.3K

-16.98%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$65.4 MYR 261

25.73%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.48 MYR 37.82

0.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$25.69 MYR 102

-5.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$38.55 MYR 154

-32.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$7.29 MYR 29.09

160.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.20 MYR 20.75

-24.42%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$117 MYR 465

165.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,384 MYR 17.5K

36.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$59.8 MYR 239

-1.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$36.96 MYR 147

-12.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$75.1 MYR 299

36.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$78.9 MYR 315

37.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$441 MYR 1,760

7.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$348 MYR 1,388

8.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$849 MYR 3,386

-1.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$472 MYR 1,882

53.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,659 MYR 6,618

68.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$726 MYR 2,897

66.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,004 MYR 4,006

-49.02%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Selangor: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $441 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 96% 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 $23.00 in Selangor. Groceries tell a different story – $188 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 1%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,511 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 $23.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,008 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 $1,008, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.