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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $670 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $878 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,087 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 52% 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 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$2.74 MYR 11.12

117.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$27.95 MYR 113

19.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$4.35 MYR 17.67

66.21%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$0.91 MYR 3.69

79.12%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.51 MYR 2.07

113.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.25 MYR 1.00

192.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.86 MYR 11.60

-39.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$3.63 MYR 14.74

-11.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.49 MYR 6.05

-29.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$0.97 MYR 3.93

32.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$0.45 MYR 1.82

193.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$1.94 MYR 7.87

17.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$5.34 MYR 21.65

-18.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$1.91 MYR 7.76

207.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$4.28 MYR 17.35

101.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$2.09 MYR 8.47

7.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.63 MYR 6.62

-34.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$1.85 MYR 7.52

-17.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$0.91 MYR 3.71

56.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$0.57 MYR 2.32

105.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$0.99 MYR 4.00

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$0.89 MYR 3.63

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.61 MYR 2.48

47.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$4.18 MYR 16.97

-46.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$7.29 MYR 29.57

51.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$2.31 MYR 9.36

-50.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$3.52 MYR 14.28

-32.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$1.08 MYR 4.36

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$12.01 MYR 48.72

249.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$0.90 MYR 3.64

56.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$1.15 MYR 4.67

65.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$4.83 MYR 19.62

60.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$0.50 MYR 2.05

102.00%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$19.1K MYR 77.5K

-7.90%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$18.7K MYR 75.8K

41.82%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$64.9 MYR 263

28.92%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$9.35 MYR 37.93

1.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$16.23 MYR 65.8

48.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$12.98 MYR 52.7

94.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$5.92 MYR 24.03

223.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$3.56 MYR 14.43

15.17%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$165 MYR 670

88.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$9,565 MYR 38.8K

-37.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$16.31 MYR 66.2

255.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$8.03 MYR 32.57

305.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$58.8 MYR 239

69.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$35.83 MYR 145

202.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$382 MYR 1,549

26.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$273 MYR 1,110

38.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$652 MYR 2,645

28.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$151 MYR 613

378.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$1,679 MYR 6,812

69.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$873 MYR 3,541

40.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$371 MYR 1,507

45.63%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Seri Iskandar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $382 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 46% 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: $190 vs $153 – 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 52%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,005 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $670 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 $670, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.