Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sentul Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sentul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $832 in Sentul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,260 in Sentul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,689 in Sentul, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Sentul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Sentul are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sentul 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.44 MYR 13.63

74.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$18.62 MYR 73.8

76.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.63 MYR 18.35

53.13%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.83 MYR 11.21

-39.58%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.69 MYR 2.73

59.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.49 MYR 1.93

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.56 MYR 14.11

-52.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$5.17 MYR 20.48

-40.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.88 MYR 7.46

-42.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.00 MYR 3.97

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.73 MYR 6.87

-20.23%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.87 MYR 7.40

17.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.51 MYR 41.69

-58.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.40 MYR 13.50

65.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.32 MYR 33.01

6.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.73 MYR 10.84

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.45 MYR 5.75

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.49 MYR 9.88

-39.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.25 MYR 4.94

10.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.13 MYR 4.47

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.40 MYR 5.55

-17.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.88 MYR 3.47

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.60 MYR 2.36

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.18 MYR 16.59

-45.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$14.43 MYR 57.2

-26.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.79 MYR 11.07

-56.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.96 MYR 11.74

-16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.72 MYR 2.86

19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$11.62 MYR 46.06

256.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.02 MYR 4.05

44.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.99 MYR 3.94

97.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$9.02 MYR 35.75

-14.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.50 MYR 1.99

90.00%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$31.9K MYR 126.7K

-43.24%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$28.3K MYR 112.2K

-6.39%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$41.62 MYR 165

97.62%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.92 MYR 35.38

6.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$23.34 MYR 92.6

3.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$36.20 MYR 144

-28.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$5.98 MYR 23.71

217.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.98 MYR 19.75

-21.08%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$188 MYR 747

64.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,924 MYR 27.5K

-13.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$63.6 MYR 252

-7.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$28.35 MYR 112

14.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$59.1 MYR 234

73.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$49.22 MYR 195

120.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$379 MYR 1,505

25.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$270 MYR 1,070

40.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$646 MYR 2,563

29.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$471 MYR 1,867

53.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,108 MYR 8,360

32.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$899 MYR 3,566

34.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$894 MYR 3,545

-42.76%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sentul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $379 in Sentul. 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 75% higher in Sentul, 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 Sentul. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $221 in Sentul – 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 Sentul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,247 in Sentul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sentul, 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 Sentul. 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 $832 in Sentul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sentul, where all-in costs run around $832, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Sentul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sentul – 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 Sentul. 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.