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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $924 in Sentul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,348 in Sentul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,771 in Sentul, rent included.

Medellin costs about 78% more than Sentul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Sentul is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.70 MYR 15.04

117.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$22.16 MYR 90.1

117.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$4.97 MYR 20.22

89.54%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.99 MYR 12.16

-1.67%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.85 MYR 3.44

118.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.48 MYR 1.94

204.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.36 MYR 13.67

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$5.77 MYR 23.46

-1.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.75 MYR 7.14

-17.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.09 MYR 4.42

120.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.46 MYR 5.93

16.44%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.77 MYR 7.19

63.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$9.79 MYR 39.81

2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.28 MYR 13.35

203.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$9.90 MYR 40.27

43.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.37 MYR 13.70

18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.76 MYR 7.17

-10.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.79 MYR 11.35

-22.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.65 MYR 6.69

39.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.44 MYR 5.85

38.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.66 MYR 6.76

-9.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.38 MYR 5.63

-13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.55 MYR 2.23

132.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.41 MYR 17.96

-12.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$14.37 MYR 58.5

-2.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.81 MYR 11.42

-39.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.14 MYR 12.76

-12.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.71 MYR 2.90

76.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$12.16 MYR 49.48

540.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.23 MYR 4.99

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.36 MYR 1.46

502.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$9.03 MYR 36.73

-8.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.78 MYR 3.18

74.36%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$43.0K MYR 175.1K

-36.16%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$33.7K MYR 137.0K

8.51%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$49.11 MYR 200

243.56%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$8.28 MYR 33.70

63.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$26.87 MYR 109

5.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$41.18 MYR 168

11.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$6.80 MYR 27.68

153.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.04 MYR 20.51

31.94%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$163 MYR 662

393.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$4,578 MYR 18.6K

100.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$52.1 MYR 212

67.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$16.80 MYR 68.3

253.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$79.8 MYR 324

74.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$40.83 MYR 166

149.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$426 MYR 1,733

151.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$330 MYR 1,343

97.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$696 MYR 2,830

176.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$495 MYR 2,013

111.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,052 MYR 8,350

100.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,126 MYR 4,581

50.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$897 MYR 3,650

-26.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.06

169.46%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sentul: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $426 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 37% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Sentul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $232 – making Sentul 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 Sentul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 78%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,386 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $22.00 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $924 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 $924, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.