Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Seri Iskandar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Seri Iskandar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $677 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $875 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $1,073 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 50% more than Seri Iskandar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Seri Iskandar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Seri Iskandar 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$2.74 MYR 11.22

116.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$28.09 MYR 115

17.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$4.50 MYR 18.42

58.22%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$0.90 MYR 3.66

90.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$0.50 MYR 2.04

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.27 MYR 1.12

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$2.79 MYR 11.41

-38.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.45 MYR 14.11

-8.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$1.56 MYR 6.40

-32.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$0.92 MYR 3.77

42.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$0.45 MYR 1.84

195.56%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$1.99 MYR 8.14

14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$5.35 MYR 21.88

-17.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$1.95 MYR 7.96

203.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$4.16 MYR 17.02

107.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$2.06 MYR 8.42

13.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$1.61 MYR 6.60

-31.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$1.88 MYR 7.68

-21.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$0.98 MYR 4.03

40.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$0.58 MYR 2.35

101.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$0.92 MYR 3.77

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$0.97 MYR 3.95

-7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$0.62 MYR 2.53

35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$4.05 MYR 16.57

-42.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$7.49 MYR 30.62

59.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$2.33 MYR 9.50

-50.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$3.58 MYR 14.65

-32.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

$1.05 MYR 4.28

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

$11.58 MYR 47.34

252.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$0.90 MYR 3.66

56.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$1.10 MYR 4.51

73.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$4.79 MYR 19.56

63.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$0.50 MYR 2.06

88.00%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$18.6K MYR 76.0K

-4.15%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$18.5K MYR 75.7K

46.25%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$65.4 MYR 267

27.41%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$9.56 MYR 39.08

1.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$16.23 MYR 66.3

49.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$12.83 MYR 52.5

96.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$6.05 MYR 24.75

219.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$3.52 MYR 14.39

15.63%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$163 MYR 668

87.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$9,314 MYR 38.1K

-35.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$16.37 MYR 66.9

266.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$8.07 MYR 33.00

304.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$59.3 MYR 242

70.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$35.54 MYR 145

203.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$389 MYR 1,591

22.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$274 MYR 1,120

38.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$646 MYR 2,642

26.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$155 MYR 634

355.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$2,209 MYR 9,030

44.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$1,233 MYR 5,041

17.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$364 MYR 1,489

70.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

571.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Seri Iskandar: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $389 in Seri Iskandar. 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 71% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Seri Iskandar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $154 – making Seri Iskandar 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 Seri Iskandar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 50%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,015 in Seri Iskandar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seri Iskandar, 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 $28.00 in Seri Iskandar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,018 in Medellin and $677 in Seri Iskandar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seri Iskandar, where all-in costs run around $677, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Seri Iskandar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seri Iskandar – 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 Seri Iskandar. 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.