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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $761 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $948 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,135 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 116% more than Seri Iskandar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Seri Iskandar is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$2.77 MYR 11.27

190.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$29.38 MYR 120

64.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$4.84 MYR 19.68

94.63%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$0.94 MYR 3.83

212.77%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.54 MYR 2.19

244.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.28 MYR 1.15

421.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.89 MYR 11.74

11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.61 MYR 14.69

58.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.63 MYR 6.63

-11.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.02 MYR 4.13

135.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.48 MYR 1.95

254.17%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.05 MYR 8.35

40.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$5.35 MYR 21.75

88.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$2.03 MYR 8.27

391.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$4.57 MYR 18.60

210.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.20 MYR 8.96

80.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-6.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.93 MYR 7.86

11.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.96 MYR 3.89

139.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.60 MYR 2.42

233.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.03 MYR 4.17

46.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.97 MYR 3.95

23.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.61 MYR 2.48

109.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.35 MYR 17.71

-11.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.31 MYR 29.75

91.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.50 MYR 10.16

-31.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.78 MYR 15.36

-27.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.10 MYR 4.46

13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$12.29 MYR 50.0

533.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.96 MYR 3.89

36.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.48 MYR 1.97

352.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$4.87 MYR 19.82

70.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.60 MYR 2.45

126.67%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$19.8K MYR 80.6K

38.67%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$19.8K MYR 80.7K

84.18%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$65.4 MYR 266

157.86%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$9.45 MYR 38.45

43.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$16.98 MYR 69.1

66.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$13.52 MYR 55.0

238.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$6.69 MYR 27.21

157.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$3.82 MYR 15.56

74.08%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$172 MYR 698

367.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$4,926 MYR 20.0K

86.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$17.24 MYR 70.1

406.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$8.55 MYR 34.76

594.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$60.8 MYR 247

128.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$37.58 MYR 153

171.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$430 MYR 1,748

149.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$333 MYR 1,355

96.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$711 MYR 2,890

170.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$162 MYR 659

546.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,077 MYR 8,449

98.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,113 MYR 4,526

52.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$376 MYR 1,529

74.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

447.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Seri Iskandar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $430 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 74% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Seri Iskandar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $160 – 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 116%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,141 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $29.00 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $761 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 $761, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.