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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,027 in Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,483 in Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,938 in Selangor, rent included.

Medellin costs about 64% more than Selangor, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Selangor is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$4.22 MYR 17.23

90.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$19.63 MYR 80.2

143.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.00 MYR 16.34

147.25%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.19 MYR 8.96

42.92%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.87 MYR 3.55

119.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.46 MYR 1.89

228.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.50 MYR 18.39

-30.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$5.10 MYR 20.80

12.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.91 MYR 7.81

-24.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.10 MYR 4.50

126.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.51 MYR 6.15

17.22%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.91 MYR 7.78

54.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$15.50 MYR 63.3

-35.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.82 MYR 19.70

109.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$9.82 MYR 40.10

45.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.35 MYR 13.67

23.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.84 MYR 7.51

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.44 MYR 9.96

-7.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.58 MYR 6.47

42.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.36 MYR 5.57

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.09 MYR 4.44

41.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.14 MYR 4.65

2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.54 MYR 2.20

142.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.34 MYR 17.72

-10.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$19.04 MYR 77.7

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.38 MYR 13.80

-48.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$4.99 MYR 20.37

-42.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.25 MYR 5.10

-2.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$12.26 MYR 50.1

556.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.25 MYR 5.10

4.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.26 MYR 5.14

73.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$4.51 MYR 18.39

93.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.66 MYR 2.70

107.58%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$42.4K MYR 173.1K

-34.37%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$35.0K MYR 142.9K

2.19%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$65.2 MYR 266

172.02%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$9.10 MYR 37.15

52.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$25.81 MYR 105

15.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$40.42 MYR 165

11.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$7.22 MYR 29.49

137.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.30 MYR 21.64

25.47%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$124 MYR 505

557.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,373 MYR 30.1K

24.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$73.2 MYR 299

22.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$42.30 MYR 173

39.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$77.8 MYR 317

77.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$81.6 MYR 333

25.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$504 MYR 2,059

110.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$346 MYR 1,414

91.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$881 MYR 3,597

114.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$485 MYR 1,979

111.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,559 MYR 6,364

168.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$712 MYR 2,906

135.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,045 MYR 4,266

-35.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.96

176.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Selangor: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $504 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 54% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Selangor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $272 – making Selangor the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 64%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,541 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $20.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,027 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 $1,027, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.